


Starlight and Firemoon part 2

by PeneighDzredfohl



Series: Starlight and Firemoon [2]
Category: Kíli (Tolkien) Tauriel (Hobbit Movies, Tauriel Kíli fluff
Genre: Baby Dwelves, Bad Spelling & Grammar, Canon...what canon?, Dwelves, F/M, Forgive our dust-remodel we must, HEA, I AM FIXING IT AS I CAN-I PROMISE, I think i was on not enough sleep and too many tranquilizers when I edited this., In-Laws, It's still great to read, Living Loving and Growing as a family over the years, Rebuilding Erebor, Tauriel giving birth, cliches live forever, slightly gross if yer squeamish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-07-28 10:54:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 65,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16240178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeneighDzredfohl/pseuds/PeneighDzredfohl
Summary: PART 1 OF STARLIGHT AND FIREMOON IS FOUND HERE : https://archiveofourown.org/works/15699813/chapters/36486066Life after the Battle, HEA's Now come the years of growing closer as a family as the children come along and life goes on. high fluff/low drama no angst. These are the simple crazy lives of the Durin’s over a 6 year period of time. Here we will get to really know Dís and Dwalin (oops-spoiler) better and how daily life in the Lonely Mountain works. What keeps everyone’s days busy and interesting and LOTS of information on the DWELVES.  Tauriel and Kili's babies are dwelves. We will see how the prophecy that was spoken about at the beginning of book one starts to fulfill itself as the years go by.  These are protégé babies here. But they still drive their parents up the walls; can’t let them be little darlings all the time now can we. Thorin wants to gloat for all Kíli put him through as a dwarfling and with six babies between the ages of 4 and newborn…yeah!  I will bore you to death a little with some general info on dwelf/elf/dwarf/human aging, etc. and how they compare. If I don’t you will be rather lost trying to figure the dwelves mental and physical ages and how they pertain to chronological ages.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Although this story is finished, I learned from book one, nothing is written in stone. Give me feedback, toss out some ideas of the antics of children. I have a 17-yr. old son who has always been a goofball, I grew up with a twin brother and sister only 19 months younger than me who made my life a living hell. I myself was a good kid (I am not boasting here people) Any trouble I got into my folks never found out about it until the three of us kids sat one night at a picnic and turned my mom’s hair white LOL with all the shenanigans we pulled. Tell me your stories about you as a kid, or your kids, nieces and nephews, kids you babysit, or teacher stories are great too. I can add it in anytime to this story to make our dwelves little imps as much as sweet darlings. I write for myself, but I love to hear from you! Spill it! What off the wall things do you know of?  
> P.S. Remember-I LIVE FOR CLICHES!!!!!! AND CANON IS FLIMSY AT BEST (I CHERRY PICK WHAT I WANT).  
> Is there something you’d like to add to this? I have gotten some marvelous ideas off tumblr from folks who have a quick idea but don’t write stories and have asked me to write them the story from the idea. I am now working on 7 stories all at once!! I have ADD so it works for me lol.  
> I live for feedback-polite will keep me sane. I want to get to know you, who likes my stories, or are at a meh point. What can I do to go from meh, to WOW?!  
> One last thing. Don’t get squicked out about Fíli’s feelings for Tauriel. She is his Happily Ever After in Book 3 (along with Kíli). It was Fíli’s idea not mine! I already have him in another story married to Sigrid, but he kept telling me it was wrong. He wanted Tauriel and he showed me where in book one I had begun to set the story up and by the end of this book that blond lion had me hooked on the whole thing.
> 
> _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
> UPDATE: (March 2019) With real life hitting me like a mac truck I find the situation I am in now much different than when I started all this. The work is sloppy and needs polish. I learned this about half way through this book when a gentle reader explained it to me (thank you forever) So as my writing skills improve, time allows, (and if I can find a BETA) I will be devoting all my spare time to my baby (this work LOL) so you can have a much better reading experience. Please be patient with me as I grow and as I face my challenges. Thanks

Dec 2941- 1 week after BotFA

 **Tauriel’s POV-**  There was simply so much to do, but thankfully so many people to do it all.  Even though it was winter we were able to start a great deal of work on the inside. The gods had to have been watching over us because outside was the mildest winter on record, so work could be done out there as well.

The vast treasure had to be counted down to the last coin and gem, then distributed as needed to each race with enough for the dwarves of Erebor to build and renew life in the mountain.  Much of the work was on a volunteer basis except for the most dangerous work and that was left to the experts.  Mountains of rock had to be crushed or reformed to make use of it again in some way or another.  There simply wasn’t much to spare and this was not the time of year to import things.  As much as the company wanted to help, we were held as heroes and told to take a long rest before even thinking of helping. 

Thorin, the stubborn dwarf that he was, would have none of that and was on site every day overseeing as much as he could.  The front gates were the main agenda. Even though no one thought another dragon would come, the gates were made 100% dragon-proof for a dragon 10 times Smaug's size. All sorts of fail-safes and a great many gruesome ways to stop intrusion into Erebor. He had a horde of people to help him, so it wasn’t like he was wearing himself out, and I honestly think he enjoyed it, for all that he groused continuously.  You can’t hide that gleam of excitement from your eyes. His eyes were always sparkling now.

He was home!

He had, with friends, allies, and the Valar accomplished what all had said could never be done.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Kíli and I took the time to find a small out of the way room that I had no idea what it had been used for, but we claimed it as our home until the spring weather dried out enough for us to head back to the Blue Mountains.  Seeing as we had not had a real honeymoon, everyone left us to ourselves and we only came out for food about once a week… and regular bathroom breaks, as the plumbing was over 200 years old. There were no beds, but I was used to sleeping on Kíli’s furs, so I didn’t mind.

The important things were 1. A roof over our heads away from the elements 

  1. Privacy, so we could spend quite a bit of our time getting to really know each other on so many levels. 



We fell deeper and deeper in love with each other every day as we learned about each other.  Our likes and dislikes, various customs that we both laughed at how weird we thought they were and figured we would somehow just blend them.  This was where I first came up with the word “Dwelf”. Little did I know how important that one little word was to become in our future.

I also can’t leave out the sex.

We had gone quite a while from our last coupling. We were bound and determined to make up for all that lost time.  It was wondrous finding out all the things that made us feel the pleasure of being one.  At first, Kíli refused to tell me where he came up with so many ideas for us to try.  I wore him out though in the end and he confessed that Fíli had learned a lot from sitting quietly with the older dwarves and staying very still in the corner after the dwarven council meetings were over. Fíli was just considered an adult at 65 when he was allowed to begin to attend as the crown prince and next heir. 

Kíli said Fíli told him the older dwarves went on worse than a group of old dwarrow dams when they just sat around talking about sex all the time.  He wasn’t sure how much of it was true until we started trying the things he had heard about.  I knew a lot just from being captain of the guard.  The men saw me as an equal. Thinking nothing of it to speak bluntly of the affairs in the bedroom.  I got quite the education.  Seeing as I had no mother, I also picked up quite a bit from the women who helped raise me.  I found out that men are a bunch of braggarts and exaggerate quite a bit.  But for Kíli and I, it was enough to get us started in our relationship.  We found favorite positions and ways to kiss and how we liked to be touched by the other. Making our bond stronger than ever.

It went a long way to help me replace the bad memories I had of this place.  (I had nightmares a lot the first two or so weeks.  Kíli would have to hold me until I stopped crying and that would lead to kissing and then on to other things to help me erase the terrors I had seen.) Especially seeing that in about a year it would be our permanent home and we would be having our children here and raising them.

One night I woke up from some of the unsettling battle nightmares and rolled over to cuddle with Kíli. He murmured, “everything okay love?” “I had a bad dream,” I said to him. He rubbed my arm a bit and sleepily said, “Oh yeah? I'm sorry.”  
  
"You know what would make me feel better?” I ask him. “Hmmmm?”  I squeezed him tighter to show him that being with him made me feel better, but at the exact moment I squeezed him, I released a giant, noisy fart. It must have been from the pregnancy because I never do that. I was mortified because it didn’t smell too nice either!  
  
That brought me completely awake and fully aware of the fact that my husband, who I'd only been married to for a short time and was crazy in love with was lying next to me in complete silence. I was holding my breath (both from embarrassment and the smell) and hoping Kíli would say something like, “The thing that makes you feel better is waking up next to me” and forgetting that I just squeezed him and farted!  He wasn’t saying anything. I was so sure he had to be so disgusted. I just wanted to fall down a hole and never come out!  
  
Then I realized that his silence was because he was laughing so hard, with his hands over his mouth and nose trying not to embarrass me by laughing because it was so hilarious to him that his prim and proper wife just ranked off a loud and stenchy fart.

When I realized he thought it was funny, not disgusting, I started laughing too. Then he farted. I was giggling so hard with the hiccups. He said, “well at least I can finally start farting around you now.” He loved it. I was so relieved. I said, “Maybe someday when our babies were about to get married we can tell them this story, so they will both just fart in front of each other and get it over with.” We both cracked up all over again!

 __________________________________________________________________________

 Kíli loved to rub my belly and just talk to the babies.  Even though I had felt love from them the day they healed everyone, it shocked both of us when I was 4 months pregnant and the feelings of love suddenly became thoughts of love.  Kíli was singing to them one night and we both felt them.  All. Six. Of. Them! They reach out to us and said how much they loved us.  To say we were stunned would be an understatement.  The two that were growing had a much larger vocabulary, what Kíli said would be a 2-year-old dwarf’s vocabulary.  Mostly it was just love from them.  After we made love they always were very content and happy. Kíli said this is going to be so interesting to see with your magic how they turn out.  To have mind speech while still in you is unbelievable.  Kíli joked that a happy Mamma was a happy baby, so he got two for the price of one. 

I loved his sense of humor. He was so lovable and sweet to me.  You would think at some point we would fight about something.  But we worked it out if we didn’t see eye to eye on everything which in and of itself was rare.  Maybe because we were newlyweds, but I had a feeling that something more was at work here than just two people who got along really well.  I could not put my finger on it.  It niggled at my mind in the quiet moments before I fell asleep or when I was first waking up.  It just said there is something more than meets the eye to all of this.  Just the fact that Kíli and I wed was a huge thing. 

Dwarves were religiously and by long-standing traditions and customs, absolutely forbidden to marry outside their race, and yet, we really got no more guff from anyone about it.  I think a lot of that acceptance was the whole, 'Bringing Kíli back to life and then the healing of Fíli and Thorin not to mention the eradication of Azog in such a bizarre way.'  I pondered as well on Gandalf’s mysterious behavior. Him telling us we had to meet with The Lady Galadriel in Rivendell on our way back to the Blue Mountains set off little flags in my mind that there was so much more going on than what the surface was showing us.

After a month, we ventured out more as we really were quite rested and not that sex all the time was a bad thing, we just wanted to see what else was happening.  We took quite a few jibes about our absence, but it was all in good fun.  It was unbelievable what had been done in just a mere 30 days.  Kíli said dwarves worked around the clock on this.  It was their home and so many of them like Uncle Thorin were glad to be home.  Then young dwarves like Kíli and Fíli who had only heard about it were honored to be a part of rebuilding the kingdom.

Thorin came to me and humbly, if not a bit awkwardly, asked if I would do him a special favor of being something like an envoy with the elves that were helping.  He said things were awkward for him to be able to comfortably communicate with them, even though they had just helped us win the war.  Old habits die hard. 

Plus, most of the elves were from Mirkwood.  Thranduil, I was told had been “instructed” by Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond to give as much aid and more to the dwarves as we rebuilt the kingdom.  Craftsmen from both Lothlórien and Rivendell were there but the Mirkwood elves were providing magic and craftsmanship as well.  Seeing as the dwarves only used torches for illumination, lighting was the first concern that was taken care of when I requested it.  Elven lighting was much brighter and was magical so there was no fire involved.

 I also asked that magic of manipulating nature be provided so the dwarves could work on other projects instead of wasting precious energies on carving and hammering away at the rock to make things as they had been or better.  I was so pleased that the elves really put their hearts into it and that elves and dwarves were truly working together.  Great stone columns were repaired overnight. The ceiling arches, in every part of Erebor, that even though they were so high up, you could tell were severely damaged. With the elves on the ground, they simply recrafted them with magic to be solid, safe, and beautiful once more. Instead of the dwarves having to build scaffolding and spend months of back-breaking, dangerous work to finish them. The massive staircases throughout the entire mountain were brought back to their former glory with just a bit of the elven touch of grace that dwarves lacked.  I found it to be very natural and beautiful. The dwarven masters themselves were more than suitably impressed. That left good feelings on both sides. 

In the spring, the elves would begin to help with the surrounding lands that Smaug had left so desolate.  With the dwarves helping plant new trees and seeds for grasses and flowers, the elves with a certain magic to help things grow would do just that.  Help the land heal itself at a speed that in one growing season would have it looking like it had been there for hundreds of years.  We would have forests and meadows once more instead of just barren rock. 

Once the basic foundation was cleaned up and everyone could move freely and safely, the great work of getting the geothermals and air vents working started. The ancient plumbing, sewage, gas, light shafts, something they called post routes (I really did not understand exactly what they meant) and the vast farms of bats and food were worked on and brought up to date with new technology. A lot of meetings with elves, dwarves, and humans took place, as this technology was being shared with the humans in Dale and Esgaroth. 

Dwarves were able to grow in the lower caverns (with the help of elven full spectrum lights, light shafts, air vents and hydroponics as well as hives of bees) vast fields of root vegetables, sky-high walls of almost every variety of lettuces, fields of grains of all kinds (dwarves do love their ale after all) and even some vanities of berries. They had plenty of fertilizer for the farms to enrich the soil from the bats, cattle, oxen, and ponies. The majority of animals that were used in the mountain were for work, not food. These beasts were kept in lower caverns that had openings to huge corrals for them to graze the fields and get fresh air and sun.  Most of the meat came from farms that were being re-established in the valleys below. Other foods came from there as well. Dwarves had much to trade and barter with, so everyone profited. Once the forests became re-inhabited with wildlife, dwarves that were specifically hunters would also help provide additional food. Dwarrow dams who knew how to forage would spend their days doing just that in the future.

The dwarves were in pure awe and filled with the utmost gratitude for the work the elves were doing.  What would have taken the dwarves month if not years to do, the elves handled in only days or weeks. I grinned at the preening the elves did with all this gratitude for something they simply saw as their gift of magic, a part of themselves. Nothing special really. But they understood their gifts had given the dwarves the time to begin making homes, furnishings and getting everything ready for the many families to move back into the mountain as soon as possible.  Thorin figured with the help of the elves and all the other races, the mountain would be completed by the time we returned in the late summer. 

______________________________________________________________________

Much to my secret pleasure, Thranduil was taken to task about the safety of the Old Forest Road and was “persuaded” again, by the eldest of the elves that he was to completely reconstruct the Old Forest Road into the New Forest Road. That would be much safer and quicker to travel.  The whole road was to be made navigable for walking as well as wagons and carriages.  It was to be maintained and guarded but no one was to be harassed anymore.  If there was just cause then fine, but Thranduil was put in his place about his treatment of travelers.  I had spoken to Lady Galadriel when she asked me about this and told her of my centuries as a guard and how we treated travelers.  I was not proud of those years, but I knew no better, and the elves now were just like me. So, it was up to Thranduil to retrain the elves to behave themselves from now on.

Dwarves who had not left the Blue Mountains for the battle, as well as those with us who were really not true craftsmen in stonework, other than the brute force needed, were asked to clear a new and much safer mountain pass through the Misty Mountains.  Paths wide enough for two wagons side by side, as well as guard walls and safe places for large groups of travelers to seek shelter as they passed. 

Massive caverns were dug out to provide shelter from the elements. There was a wall of protection, but it had a side pass opening that was wide enough that the travelers could fit their ponies, horses, and wagons, as well as themselves in them and have places to sleep with primitive facilities to use.  Each way stop would have wood, fire starters, travel rations as well as safely kits hidden in cairns that animals could not get to so that they would have some creature comforts rather than sleeping out in the open to all kinds of weather and as the company told me, great stone giants!

That would be finished by the time the great migration began the following summer for all the dwarves to head back to Erebor.  With the forces of evil so totally decimated and hiding in the deepest, darkest holes, travel for the good people of middle earth was finally something we could undertake with less fear.  The New Forest Road would cut down travel time by a month with wider, smoother and in many places straight rather than winding roads that did not turn into mud pits in any kind of wet weather. 

The new larger passes in the Misty Mountains made the passage so much easier. That alone would cut at least a month if not more of travel, depending on the size of the group.  There were to be crews of the varied races working together to keep the passes clear of rockslides and to watch for danger, as well as keeping the shelters clean and stocked. With the help of the older elves, Mirkwood was being reborn and was no longer the sickly, frightening place it had been when I was a guard there.  It was sure to become Greenwood once more.

Lake Town (or rather Esgaroth as it was called once more) had been rebuilt from the ground up. Which meant Smaug had to be removed and destroyed, everything that supported Lake-town underwater had to be removed and replaced and a foundation set so it could be built to a level it had never seen even in its golden age.  With the help of dwarves and elves as well as many humans from all over Middle-earth, it was repaired with might and magic.  The wood and pillars would never rot, decay or in regards to that need repairs. It was build to solidly that the mighty storms the came down the lake could not make the buildings even waver.

Not only was it solid, but it was also beautiful too. A grand sight by the time we passed through on our way back from the Blue Mountains. Many folk did a great deal of trade there in order to get supplies for the trip up to the Lonely Mountain. It eventually became a merchant city, one Thorin had told me was reminiscent of the ancient city that had been there long before him. Ships loaded with silks, and spices, as well as just about anything one could want from anywhere on Middle Earth and even from the high Northlands and Deep southern lands, came to Esgaroth.

Dale was easier to rebuild as it was made of stone and wood.  The wanton decimation Smaug had done was a great deal of work to repair and rebuild but the descendants of Dale were more than happy to do so. Again, with the help of dwarves, elves and humans from other parts of Middle Earth.  Although at the time I did not know Bard very well, other than our one brief meeting. I had a chance to speak with him again a few times. He had been elected (he said coerced) to be the governor of Dale with re-elections every 5 years.

Once Thorin felt things were rolling along smoothly enough for us to return home and with the weather warming up earlier, we left sooner than planned.  I was kind of on a timeline to be back, so I would be able to give birth to the twins in Erebor.  I would be traveling by wagon the whole way to the Blue Mountains and back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey to The Blue Mountains begins. The Prophecy is revealed. And a little nookie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you figured out how I am going to give everyone a happily ever after? Remember I said, "no one dies, everybody lives"...literally forever.  
> The fountain scene is in the extended edition of the first Hobbit Movie, or you can try on youtube or google to find the movie clip/GIF (Warning: naked dwarves and scandalized elves. "Fitwit" -Lindir-will never look at water the same ever again)  
> Khuzdul:  
> Amralizu nâmrul! (I want to fuck you!) (hey, I remember being a horny mom to be, it's intense)  
> ‘ibin abnâmul (”beautiful gem”)  
> lansel (”love of all loves”)

**May 2942 – 6 months after BotFA**

**Tauriel’s POV-** When we left Erebor to head back to the Blue Mountains to see Kíli’s mother; Fíli and Thorin headed straight home.  Thorin left Balin in charge. As his first in command, it was up to him to complete the finishing touches, as Thorin called it.  Kíli and I had to make that brief stop at Rivendell at the suggestion of Gandalf.  He said he would bespeak Galadriel and Celeborn. At his request, they were to travel there to meet us and she give us her blessing on our marriage so that we would have both elf and dwarf representation. 

Thranduil was not too pleased with me when we went through Mirkwood. What I had done to free Thorin’s company, hijack a troop of his soldiers, help on their quest, and marry a dwarf prince, ehh, shall I say it perturbed him…a lot.

His nose was also out of joint from being bullied by the elder elves to change his ways and that now I was royalty, He could not punish me. He had also banished me so I was no longer a citizen of the woodland realm, and well, that rubbed him the wrong way altogether.  He was not having a good, ‘day’. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t talk my way out of, but, it wasn’t a pleasant visit either. So, off to Rivendell, we went.  Thorin and Kíli both agreed that despite the peace in the land I was to go with a full guard.  Kíli pretty much told me to get used to it and enjoy it because as a princess and a mother to be of the next generation of the Line of Durin, I was very precious to both the elves and the dwarves. 

Most dwarves really didn’t know what to make of me. I was now a princess, and it baffled me as well. As I had said, dwarves had been forbidden from marrying outside of their race but for some reason yet to be seen everyone was happy for us and very accepting of our union.  I had a strong sense of something higher at work here. But still after all these months, could not put my finger on it. 

I was very much looking forward to meeting Kíli’s mother to get some much-needed help in the intricacies of not only being her Daughter-in-Law but as dwarven royalty with all the traditions and customs as well. The dwarves were all very polite, quite kind and extremely if not overly helpful.  I hardly had to lift a finger.  I knew I had been told to ride in the wagon, but I felt I wasn’t so pregnant I couldn’t handle riding a horse.  One day on a horse and I was begging for the bloody wagon or anything I could lie down in.  I think everyone found it very amusing, except me.  But oh, it felt so good to not be on my backside or on my feet.

 At 6 months, I was just beginning to show, and yet, I swear I was already waddling.  Kíli had a whole new appreciation for my breast size. I couldn’t really blame him though, I was pretty impressed myself.  Nothing had prepared me for the raging libido though. It was fine while we were in Erebor and had a room to ourselves but now that we were on the road it put me in quite a sour disposition that we could not stop whenever I had a need, which was far too often.  I was pregnant, why did I need to be hormonal too?? 

At least we had fine tents to sleep in this time, instead of out in the elements.  It gave us a semblance of privacy and we were able to keep, mostly, quiet.   At least the smirks we got were kind and understanding for a pair of newlyweds.   We had small cots to sleep on, but they left a great deal to be desired when one wanted to snuggle with her husband.  Kíli still had his bearskins so we slept on those covered in our blankets. 

One night I woke up in desperate need of Kíli. I may have been a bit overzealous when I woke him by shaking him and saying, “ _Kíli!_ _Amralizu nâmrul!_ After he calmed down from my attack, he just brushed it off as the way he felt from being on the road again.  Even though we had a guard, and all was well, there were too many memories of his journey to Erebor, especially before he got to Mirkwood, where I came into the scenario. They were coming back to him like my trepidation in Erebor after the battle, so he was a little on edge and sleeping with one eye open.

 He asked if I was okay and I kissed him to let him know what I needed.  He caught on quickly.  I was wearing a simple shift, so he was able to rid me of it.  I helped him out of his sleep trousers and he surprised me by having me kneel in front of a travel trunk and he moved behind me.  He did a quick braid in my hair and moved it to the side.  I kept looking over my shoulder at him as he worked. He had the most deviant smile plastered on his face.

 He began to rub my shoulders and neck which felt very good, then he stroked my arms and ran his finger-tips up and down my back making me shiver with delight at his gentle touch.  He wrapped his arms around me and held me to him and I felt his desire against my skin which roused my own passion to greater heights.  I actually whimpered when he cupped my breasts and massaged them.  Playing with my sensitive nipples using the tips of his calloused fingers, he gently rolled them. I had to press my lips tightly together to keep from crying out. 

How I missed our little room in the mountain at that moment.  He began to slowly thrust against my back and moved his hands to my hips squeezing them as he moved.  I was aching for him to enter me.  I begged him in a hushed voice to take me.  He chuckled. I almost reached behind me to grab him, but I think he was getting very good at reading my body language. He had me lean forward more so he could very slowly enter me.  It was not nearly fast enough, and I wanted to lean back, but I let him have control, it was his pleasure too.

He moved in and out thrusting deeper each time until he was fully seated in me. Sighing my name and moaning with each thrust. He cupped my right breast and began to kiss my back as he lengthened his thrusts and sped them up.  I arched my back and moaned softly as the desire built in me.  His quiet grunts told me how he was feeling.  He moved his hand from my breast to my front and began to rub my clit making me gasp far too loudly.  He moved his hand to match his thrusts and I felt like I was going to explode.  I had both hands in front of me to steady me. Doing my best to not make noise as he was driving me quickly to a double orgasm.  Something I had not had in a while just from being on the road again and was more than happy to be experiencing at this moment.  He continued whispering my name over and over as he got close to his orgasm.  I simply stopped caring as Kíli’s thrusting took me to my peak. I shouted his name as my clit orgasm took me and immediately my internal orgasm followed.  Any woman who could keep quiet during that was a stronger woman than I was, and I felt no shame at that moment in calling out my husband’s name as he cried out too. We both made soft noises then as we experienced our pleasure at the same time.

 He had to help me back to our furs because I was once again “jelly bones” as he teased me.  We were both breathing heavily after our little exercise and I giggled as I heard the dwarves’ quiet comments. "It will not be long before an announcement will be made of the next heir to the line of Durin."  I whispered a little loudly, “Sorry gentlemen!”  A heartier chuckle and then someone said, “Quite alright princess, we are all married men with families.”  I giggled again and Kíli shushed me as he was rather embarrassed himself.  I just kissed him into submission. Then feeling quite mellow from our lovemaking we fell deeply and dreamlessly asleep in each other’s arms.

In the morning, we quickly got ready when someone scratched on the tent door and said we will be leaving within the hour.  As we did not have to break down our own tent and pack our things onto the wagon, we went and broke our fast with the others. We all felt the excitement of going to Rivendell to see Lady Galadriel.

 

_*** Something the babies had done, when they saved his life; had changed him. ***_

Kíli stood before Lady Galadriel and was telling her of how we met, our marriage while we were traveling and asking her blessing on us.  But Lady Galadriel was looking at Kíli in a strange way like she was seeing deep into him.  Kíli noticed this and fell silent while she looked at him.

 She then simply stated, “This dwarf… is immortal!”

 Immortal?! Kíli?! What had our babies done?!  A dwarf was not immortal! They lived longer than a human but not as long as the Numenoreans. They grew old around 220 and only lived to about 250 and then died.  I had accepted that as part of my life with Kíli.  That I would eventually lose him, but I thought it better to have a brief time of pure joy, than an eternity of emptiness. And now Lady Galadriel was proclaiming him as immortal as an elf! 

My heart leapt into my throat and my hands covered my growing belly. What had you little ones done?  Then I remembered Gandalf saying to the babies about Fíli and Thorin, to heal them, not make them undying as they had done to their father. It dawned on me what had happened.  The babies had given Kíli immortality through their elven magic. Gandalf had to show the babies how to heal Fíli and the others but not give them immortality.  Again, I felt an outpouring of love from deep within me.  Our babies loved me and Kíli so much already.

Lady Galadriel then looked to me and called me forward.  “Tauriel”, she said, “you have a marvelous gift within you, for they will change all the races of middle earth.  You have been quite blessed and will have an abundance of blessings from the many children you and Kíli will bear and raise. I see remarkable things happening from them. You both have my blessing upon your union and upon your posterity.”

 She then hugged me and Kíli and put her hands on our heads.  I felt her blessing course through me and the babies moved as well.  We both thanked her for this. She said, “there is much luck in this pairing and I look forward to watching your family grow and seeing the things they will do.”

**Kíli’s POV-** what does she mean I am immortal?  How could I be immortal, only elves are immortal.  I was very confused and then the blessing she bestowed upon us absolutely bewildered me.  I would have to talk to Tauriel about this. I held my tongue and simply thanked Lady Galadriel for her blessing. 

 We had a feast in our honor which I had not expected, but I was very happy for. Tauriel deserved something like this and I knew Thranduil would not do it for her.  I wanted her to have something special to remember among the elves in celebration of our marriage.  I cherished our vows we shared that special night, but I was glad to have something more public for Tauriel.  When the feasting was done, and we had danced the night away, we retired to our room. Both of us quite worn out. I still could not stop thinking all night about Lady Galadriel proclaiming I was now immortal. I did not _feel_ any different than I did before taking on Azog. I wasn’t sure what it all meant.

 

I wanted so much to ask Tauriel, but I worried that she was overtired from such a long and bizarre day.  As we laid down and snuggled together she softly asked, “are you alright?”  I said, “I’m fine, just tired.”  “No Kíli, I mean about being immortal.  How do you feel about that?”  I was quiet for a moment and then asked her, “what does it mean? How did this happen? What am I now?”  I think she heard the strain in my voice because she gently kissed me. Softly touching my face and said, “ _amrâlimê_ it means you will never taste death. It means I will not lose you in 200 years. It means we have eternity to be together.”

 

“As for how it happened? Gandalf gave me a clue when he spoke to the babies as he was saving Fíli and your uncle.” “What do you mean he spoke to them?  I heard him speak Elvish, but I thought it was a spell.” Tauriel said, “he was speaking Sindarin as he spoke to our babies Kíli.  He said to the babies, 'heal them but do not make them undying as you have done to your father', and they did something similar to Fíli and Thorin that they had done with you only not the exact same thing.  You were dead Kíli, and our babies not only brought you back to life, but they gave you immortality.  How I just don't know.”

 

  “With the elf/ dwarf pairing I think we created a new magic in our babies.  We are the first.  Dwarves and elves have had an enmity since the first age and yet, we fell in love and created new life.  It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.  My heart tells me the babies will be immortal as well.  What magic they will have remains to be seen but it is quite amazing what they have done so far.”

  I said, “Tauriel, it is going to take me some time to wrap my head around this.  What should I tell my family? Should I tell them at all?  What will it be like to see them age and die and I live on?”

 

 She sympathized with me and said, “Kíli, it won't be easy, but I will be with you forever.”  I kissed her and said, “I guess we will have to talk more about this before we arrive at our home in the Blue Mountains.”  “I love the sound of that Kíli! The sound of, ‘Our home’.  For right now though, let's sleep on it. Perhaps in the morning, we can talk to Lady Galadriel again? See if we can get more answers.” 

 

“That sounds like a splendid idea, _‘ibin abnâmul_  .”  “Would you hum me the song you did in our cave?”  “Hmm?”  “The Misty Mountains song you called it.” “Oh yes! Would you like to hear the words to it as well?”  “Yes Love, that would be wonderful.” So, I sang for her. The babies seemed to like it too.  I stopped singing and looked at her in surprise. “Tauriel do the babies like the song?”  She smiled and said, “I think they love their Pappa singing to them, why do you ask?”  “I can feel their feelings Tauriel! Not just love but something more! I know what they are feeling. As if I am connected to them in some way.”  “You are my love, you gave them life. They then gave you life, that is a very powerful bond I should think.”  I started to sing again. The love and warmth from the babies filled both our hearts and we both cherished this magical moment in our own little bubble. 

 

 

**Tauriel’s POV-** When we woke in the morning we begged an audience with Lady Galadriel and were told that she would be free the next day to speak with us. So, we tarried in the kingdom exploring the sights of Rivendell.  We sat by a fountain. Kíli told me the story about what the company did in this particular fountain when they first came through. Knowing how pompous and stuffy the Rivendell elves were, he had me laughing so hard, he was blushing to his roots, beet red!

 

 We decided to meander some more, but I was getting worried about Kíli as he had been so quiet. 

 

 “Kíli, everything is going to be fine.” “I know, I am just trying to get used to the idea of it all.”  “Do you regret it?”  “Oh, no Tauriel, absolutely not!  I feel very blessed to have this gift, especially from our babies.  No, I have no regrets. Don't worry about that with me my love.  I just feel guilty that I will live forever, and my family will go on without me.”  “Wait until we have spoken with Lady Galadriel and hear what she had to say.”  He cupped my face and softly kissed me.  Then he said, “what if we think instead, on names for the babies, just to get my mind away from this?”  “Anything to help you _lansel_.”  So, we spent the day walking the gardens and paths thinking of what we would name the babies.

 

When we went before Lady Galadriel the next day, Kíli was a bit calmer.  She asked him, “what troubles you, young Kíli?” He went on to expressed his concerns to her.  She comforted him by saying, “Rest assured that with my foresight it leads me to believe that all things will work out and that you are not to worry. Things you never knew you could have will all be yours through your children.”  She again put her hand on his head and I felt it and the babies felt it.  A peace fell over us, and we knew to trust her. All would indeed be well.

 

She asked us. “have either of you ever heard of the prophecy between Aulë and Ilúvatar?”  Neither one of us had so she went on to explain. “After Aulë had created the dwarves without Ilúvatar’s permission, Aulë was going to destroy his creations until they begged him mercy.  It touched the heart of Ilúvatar that these were indeed sentient beings. Ilúvatar told Aulë to hold and that he would allow the dwarves to be.” 

 

“Although he would not allow them to be the first to people the new world, that was reserved for Ilúvatar’s elves.  Ilúvatar foresaw that there would be enmity between his elves and Aulë’s dwarves. That did not please Him.  So, he created the Prophecy.  That a day would come when the elves and dwarves would create a union and the enmity would end. Granting the dwarves immortality.”

 

Kíli and I were stunned by this revelation.  Lady Galadriel smiled at us, saying, “you two are the culmination of the Prophecy.  From you will be a new race on middle Earth. Through your children, the dwarves will be granted immortality as promised.  You Kíli, are the first dwarf to be immortal, your family will follow, so be rest assured with that.  It will come in its own time, but it will happen. So, fear not."

 

“There will be many changes to come into your lives and the lives of your loved ones as you meld together your families. The Prophecy will bend and change the paths the dwarves have walked for so long.  Follow the promptings of the Prophecy and all will be well for you.  Does this put your mind at ease Kíli?”

  Kíli was speechless and just nodded as he tried to take it all in.  I felt such joy in learning that I had indeed been lead to Kíli and we were supposed to be.  It confirmed in my heart all my love for him and knowing that we were meant for each other.  I was anxious yet excited for our future together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may end up with fewer chapters as I am putting more together each chapter so one is really two or three. I just have so much info I want you to have to understand where I am going with all this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, make it to the Blue Mountains. Meeting Dis. Settling in only to be moving again-not fun for a mommy to be. Kili and Dis "help" Tauriel with some shyness. A new POV -Dis and Thorin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been knocked down, dragged around and half buried in the yard by a nasty head cold. I am a firm believer that schools are Petri dishes for germs and the spreading of them! My son was gone for 18 months-not one sniffle or sneeze-he got home in June and started school in Sptember...again, not a sniffle or sneeze. 3 nonconsecutive days at school and my son is sick. Two days later I'm wiped out. Thankfully it's not the flu, I haven't got my shot yet. But with my immune system, a little head cold is a BIG deal. I am trying to keep up, but it may be two weeks before I post. I will try so hard. The story is done. I promise you that. I am just polishing it up. I have no BETA and I am learning so much from reading here on AO3, other romance writers and a ton of stuff on Pinterest. So as I reread before I post I see ways to add or detract to make the story shine. Remember, I love feedback. send me those silly kid stories. Most of the stuff on here is stuff from me and my sibs as well as my cousins and all the kids I nannied for, plus all the kids at all the parties I was a class mom at. I also have a ton of friends who have between 5 and 11 kids (I think we have nearly 40 kids when we all get together. I'm the only 1 with a single kid) So sign up for the thingie at the top to alert you to my next posting. (If the timeline is wonky-woops let me know)

**Tauriel’s POV-** Now it was my turn to start to feel nervous as we got closer and closer to home.  Kíli still felt we should not tell anyone and I respected that. I felt strongly that just his Uncle, mother, and brother should know.  “The babies may be making an impact on their lives as well, according to Lady Galadriel,” I said.  “When they healed Fíli and your uncle they felt a bond with them as well as the others in the company.  But most especially with your brother and uncle.  They may get ideas if something were to accidentally happen to someone. Taking matters into their own hands, so to speak and the family should be prepared for this.”

He thought about it, but we really had not come to any concrete conclusion as we drew closer to the Blue Mountains. 

 

Kíli started pointing things out to me. Every tree, rock, pond, and hill had its own story.  I was getting to know a side of my husband that I had not yet had the chance to see.  He said, “I will miss it here as it is the only home I’ve ever known.” 

  Word of our arrival must have spread because more people were out and about to greet us, and I guess to get a look at me.  I felt very self-conscious and held Kíli’s hand and smiled as best I could.

 

**(July 2942-Tauriel 8 months pregnant)**

**Kíli’s POV-** “Mother?  Mother?!  I’m home!”  Mother came flying to the front door and shrieked, “Kíli!!!”  She grabbed me in a bear hug and started to cry as she rocked me back and forth.  I got rather misty-eyed as well hugging her back.  Mother said, “Oh my darling it is relief to my heart to see you again.  You kept your promise to your mother!” “I always keep my promises Mother.”

  “Now tell me why you are so far behind your brother and Uncle.  They only told me that you had to stop in Rivendell to meet with the Lady Galadriel.  They said you didn’t tell them why.  Were they lying to me?” I replied, “well mother, it is not really a lie in the full sense of the word.”  “Kíli, a lie is a lie no matter what color it is.”  I told her, “you see mother I told them I was going to Rivendell, but I didn’t tell them why so that part is true.  But I didn’t tell them why because they already knew so I didn’t need to tell them anything so really, they told the truth that I didn’t tell them…” “KÍLI”, she yelled, “stop that young man!”  I apologized, “Sorry Mother.”  Then she said, “Oh Kíli, just spit it out what was so important that you had to tarry in Rivendell?”  I nervously told her, “I needed Lady Galadriel’s blessing Mother.”  Mother queried, “Her blessing?  Her blessing on what Kíli?”  I reached behind the door and grabbed Tauriel’s hand and pulled her forward.  “Mother”, I said, “I needed a blessing on my marriage to Tauriel.”

**Dís’s POV- “** OH!!... Kíli!!!”    “Come here sweetheart and let me see you and give you a hug.”  The young elf woman walked up to me and I pulled her down to squeeze her tight and kiss her on the cheek.  “Welcome daughter.” She was so thankful for my greeting. Heavens did they think I was going to bite her head off?” “Thank you so much.” She said.  I gushed, “well aren’t you just a beauty.  Now I am not going to get mad at you dear heart, but there are three dwarves who have a lot of explaining to do.  But before I start tearing into their hides I do have one thing to say to you Tauriel… Finally, another woman in the house!  Now watch, you have all sons”, I laughed. Then Kíli took me by complete surprise as he said, “On that note Mother we have some other good news.”  He began, “we’re” …and I knew and I shouted, “PREGNANT?!?!?!  Oh, the blessings keep coming!  I get my males home, find I have a new daughter to love AND a grandbaby on the way!”  Kíli then stunned me when he told me, “actually Mother you have six grandbabies.”  “SIX?!” I gasped, “How is that possible?”  Tauriel explained, “elves have something called delayed implantation.  We can release as many eggs as we want and hold the fertilized ones in stasis for as long as we need to.” She then said, “I am a bit young and inexperienced and well it is a long story” …I quickly interrupted her by saying, “and one you will be telling me of course.” Kíli shouted a mortified, “Mother!!” I shushed him and said, “I know all about these things and if it makes you squirmy then you can go play with your brother.”  He tried to play the big man saying, “Mother I am not a little boy anymore.”  But I brought him down a peg by quipping, “as your impending fatherhood tells me.” My poor Kíli just sighed in exasperation and said, “Oh for Mahal’s sake Mother we digress.”  I turned to Tauriel and said, “I just love this boy Tauriel or haven’t you noticed?”  She had me chuckling when she said, “I think I will fit just fine in this family.” Making us all laugh.

I asked her to continue what she was saying, “any way you were telling me about the babies Tauriel…” She blushed so sweetly and stumbling on her words saying, “uh, oh yes, well I was rather distracted when my eggs released and um, well we found out a short time later that, um, hah, I had released the six eggs.  I have two growing right now and 4 are in stasis.  We are not sure how long I will be pregnant as elves are only pregnant a year and Kíli tells me dwarves are pregnant four years. We also have to figure in that it’s twins, so they usually come early, as well they are hybrids, so we are not sure how long it will take them to develop.  I am a healer, so I can kind of figure what is going on. We will soon have an idea of a birthdate for them. As you can see I am beginning to show my pregnancy a bit now.  We have felt them move and they have a great deal of elven magic and their own kind as well.”

**Tauriel’s POV-** Kíli looked at me with a questioning look and I knew what he was silently asking.  He was wondering if we should tell her what they babies had done to him.  We had talked about this a great deal since traveling back from Rivendell about all the revelations we had received.  Weighing the pros and cons of sharing this information.  Kíli was still not sure we should, while I leaned more towards just telling the immediate family.  Dís picked up on the look and said, “ok you two, what are you not telling me?  I have a mother’s intuition and I know there is more going on here than you are telling me.” Poor Kíli. He still had trouble relating the details of what had happened, so he begged me, “Tauriel, would you explain it to Mother for me?” I quickly said, “Of course, Kíli.”  “Lady Dís, (I suddenly had no idea what I should call her), but she interrupted me and said, “oh just call me mother, dear heart.  You are already like a daughter to me.”  I humbly said, “Thank you, Mother.” 

Then began, “Well, in circumstances that we had not foreseen in any way, events led up to the babies using magic to make Kíli as immortal as an elf.”  She paled and just looked back and forth at us. Then walked to the living room without saying a word. Slowly lowering herself into a chair, just staring at the wall with unseeing eyes.  Kíli panicked and asked, “Mother, are you alright?”  She lied and said, “I’m fine son.”  Kíli knew better and said, “no you are not Mother.  I knew we should have held off on this news.”  Dís then said, “Kíli, it’s not the news that you are immortal.  It is that I am sure in your sweet words, Tauriel, you are telling me that my son was killed, and the babies somehow brought him back to life. Giving him immortality. Am I correct?”  As a soon to be mother myself I knew the pain she was feeling so I knelt in front of her, holding her hands. Then looked into her eyes.  “Yes mother,” I whispered softly, “you are correct.  But, he is here now, and it is a happy ending for us all, right?”  She looked right back at me with tears streaming down her face and said, “Yes, it is the end result that matters the most not how you got there.”  With that, she dissolved into weeping.  Kíli knelt as well and the three of us held each other for a while. All with different thoughts, yet, I am sure not so dissimilar really.  After a bit Dís dried her eyes on her gown and sniffed.  Kíli handed her a cloth to blow her nose.  She did so, then looked at Kíli funny. Questioned him, “son since when have you started carrying handkerchiefs around?”  He laughed, “since I made a hormonal woman out of my wife.  She weeps at the drop of a hat and always gets a runny nose.”  I chuckled and said, “I am afraid so.  I have never been so emotional in my life.  One minute I am taking on 20 wargs and orcs single-handedly while the Company all stare at me. Slaughtering them before they could get their rears in gear. Then I see a crushed flower and I am bawling my eyes out.  I think most all the Company were glad they did not have wives,” I laughed. Dís said, “Oh I can bet.  Can you just see Dwalin?”    I said, “actually Mother he has such a gentle heart.”  She was shocked, “Dwalin?!?!  Our Dwalin?!?”  I laughed and said, “yes Mother, he would hold me while Kíli got me tea to help me calm down.”  She stated, “well for goodness sakes, imagine that,” and laughed.

 She told us, “well your brother and your uncle have been sleeping almost 24 hours a day since they got home.  They get up to eat. Go to the bathroom, then back to bed.  The way they put away food you’d think you had been on short rations.  But I know Bombur would never starve a soul, that man loves food as much as he loves people.  Fíli says it is just that my cooking tastes so much better than camp food.  Little brown-noser.”

  “Well, shall we get you two settled in now that you are finally home?  Are you hungry?”  Kíli quickly spoke and said, “I thought you would never ask Mother.” Then laughing, said, “elves tend to serve more greens and lean meats and I don’t like wine.”  Mother asked me, “Tauriel, do you have a special diet like this?”  I was quick to say, “oh no I can eat most anything.  With being pregnant I have my herbal teas for vitamins and minerals, and I never had any signs of morning sickness.  Elves don’t get it but Kíli says dwarves do.”  Dís said, “oh my heavens, was I sick when I was pregnant with Kíli.  For an entire year, I ate nothing but lettuces and rice. Poor Víli and Fíli had to go to neighbors to eat as I could not stand the smell of food.  But once I got over it, I was cooking and eating enough to feed a small army of dwarven men,” she laughed. 

“Well here is a guest room.  Kíli and Fíli shared a room before they left on this journey, but I think you’d both appreciate the privacy as would Fíli,” she laughed.  “As I said earlier, I had no idea he was bringing home a wife, something I will be taking up with the other Durin men as soon as they get up.”  “Oh, Mother.”  Dís said, “No, no, since when has that stopped Fíli from blabbering a secret?” She again laughed.  “I should have bribed him with sweets!!  Now that I know we have an extra family member I will get the things you two will need until we get everything settled with where you are going to live.  Kíli will you be alright on a fur on the floor just for tonight?  I will have a larger bed for you both in the morning and we can set your room up more comfortably for you both.”  Kíli said, “Mother, I have slept on everything from rocks and in caves to rain-filled puddles and mountain cliffs. Trust me when I say sleeping in my own home, even if it is on the floor, will be a welcome rest.”  Dís was pleased and said, “well good, then that is settled.  Now, how about you drop your things in there and I’ll fix you something to eat.”  Kíli said, “I’m famished.”  And I said, “I would welcome something to eat.  May I help you, Mother?”  Dís said, “not this time my dear, you just sit and rest.  Has Kíli been telling you dwarven customs at all?”  “He has told me some as well as helping me with some words and phrases in Khuzdul.  But he said you would be the expert to guide me in this.”  Then she said, “I guess I am just assuming you will live with the dwarves but are you?”  I assured her saying, “yes, yes, we will.  I have no family, I was taken in as an orphan by the king of Mirkwood when I was quite young, and he raised me with his son.”

  “I have no desire to live among the elves.  I do not know how well the dwarven community will receive me, but I wanted to raise our children with family and I would never have taken Kíli away from you even if I did have family among the elves.  We would have visited them instead, but that is not an issue.  I want to fit in as much as I can.”  Dís was so sweet then to tell me, “well it is important to fit in, but it is also important to not lose your own culture and to teach it to the children.  It is part of who they are.  They need to know the customs and observances of your people as well Tauriel.”  I agreed saying, “I guess you are right Mother.” Dís quipped, “of course I am!” As she chuckled. 

“How does a ploughman’s lunch sound to you with a hot root soup?”  Kíli joked saying, “like dining with royalty mother.”  “Oh, for heaven’s sake Kíli that is such an old joke! Tauriel, are you alright dear?”  I was now laughing so hard I was hiccoughing because I had taken a drink when Kíli cracked his joke.  Kíli thumped me on the back and laughed at me laughing at him, he told his mother, “she always gets the hiccups when she laughs really hard.”  Dís started to laugh then too. Suddenly Fíli and Thorin came into the kitchen.  Thorin said, “I thought I heard you two.”  Fíli eagerly said, “I thought I heard mention of lunch.”

* * *

 

**Kíli’s POV** \- Mother helped us get furniture, linens and other such things as a new couple would need right away.  We would have a simple ceremony instead of a traditional one. With us exchanging rings and vows. It would be family and close friends only. But seeing as I was a prince, folk would more likely give us small gifts as tokens symbolizing the gifts they would give us once we moved back to Erebor.  With moving back to Erebor we would not want a lot to have to haul all that way.  That was a huge relief to me as I was wracking my brain on how we would set up our wing in the palace.  I asked Uncle Thorin, “what will I be doing to support my growing little family?”  He said, “I am going to begin to groom Fíli for taking the throne when we get to Erebor and if you want I would like you to begin to learn to help Fíli for when he takes over, as well, that it would be good for you to know the workings of the royal family.”  I had him laughing when I said, “better Fíli than me. Can you see me as a king?  I’m just too reckless and carefree to be fettered with the crown.” 

 I then seriously asked him, “what if you find someone to marry and produce an heir”?  He just chuckled and said. “that day will never come Kíli, I am too old and set in my ways to have a wife and children.  I was just happy to have survived raising you and Fíli when I was younger.  To start out with babies at my age would probably kill me.”  I just smirked and said, “sorry, not sorry.”  He laughed heartily at that.  He then asked me how Tauriel was doing. I said, “she is just starting to show a bump if you look at her the right way and know she was pregnant.  She has had no complications unless you call a voracious appetite a complication.”  She had start craving weird elven foods and I had to do some serious bartering in Grey Haven to get her some of the things she wanted.   Uncle Thorin said, “your father went through the same thing with you and Fíli. Only your mother wanted dwarven foods that were always out of season.” 

He said, “you really do seem very happy though Kíli.”  “Oh, I am Uncle, I have never felt so complete in my life.”  He said, “wait until the twins arrive, then your whole world changes and love you never knew you had in you will fill your heart.”  I smiled and said, “I am looking very much forward to that.” 

 

* * *

 

**Kíli’s POV-** Tauriel was feeling really shy the first time that I wanted to make love since we got home from Erebor.  She didn’t want the family to hear her.  I was getting exasperated trying to get her to understand that the family can’t hear anything unless they have a glass up to the door and no one would do that.  I very patiently explained that “the walls are made of what Tauriel?”  “Uhm…Oh! Ha, yes, solid rock,” she said, laughing, “…but the door! They could hear us through the door!”  “Tauriel it is four inches of solid oak. Dwarves do have good hearing, but not that good.”  “I just don’t know Kíli, it feels strange thinking they might hear us.”  “Tauriel, don’t move, sit right there, I’ll be back.”  “What are you doing? Where are you going?”  “Just wait darling, I’m proving a point.”  “What?!?!  How are you going to do that?”  I walked out of the room and shut the door then stood right in front of it and shouted as loud as I could with my hands cupped, facing the door.

Mother came flying down the hallway, “Kíli what on earth are you yelling about?  What’s wrong?”  “Mother!”  “DID YOU START A FIGHT WITH TAURIEL??”  “Mother!!”  “You know she’s hormonal...” “MOTHER!!”  “What?” “You don’t have to shout.”  “Oh, sorry dear. Now, what is going on?”  “I am simply proving a point to Tauriel.”  She put her hands on her hips. Tilted her head, looking at me suspiciously asked, “and that point would be what son?”  “That dwarves can’t hear a thing through solid rock walls and a 4-inch-thick solid oak door.”  “Kíli, now why on earth would she…oh!!”  She laughed.  “Poor girl, she’s shy and it feels odd making love in her Mother-in-Law’s house? She doesn’t want anyone to hear her, so she is telling you not tonight?  Am I close?”  “Hit the nail on the head Mother,” I said, grinning.  “Oh, I feel so bad for her.  Should I talk to her? I’m going to talk to her.” “Mother! Wait, no!” Mother opened the door and Tauriel was sitting on the bed with nothing but a pillow on her lap and yelped out a loud MEEEP noise and buried her face in the pillow.  Mother said, “now dear girl, you have nothing to worry about, we really can’t hear you, sweetheart. We all know you two are married.  Heaven knows I have two boys, so I know what a married couple sounds like, especially newlyweds.  There is nothing to worry about my girl.  Just relax and be yourself.”  Tauriel peeked up from the pillow. Her face was scarlet red as she squeaked out a soft, “Ok, Mother. Um, thank you, um.” “No need to thank me, dear heart, we are all family here. Once we move back to Erebor you and Kíli will be in your own wing.  And now that he is officially king, I am sure Thorin will catch some Dwarrow maid’s eye. Fíli is an excellent catch himself. Then I will be alone until I get to babysit the grandbabies.”

  “I had never been alone until the men left on this journey of theirs and I can tell you I did not like it one bit.”  “Yes, Mother.” Tauriel was so mortified at this point she could hardly speak.  “Okay, now you two go back to what you were doing and don’t worry about the rest of us, alright?” “Yes, Mother.”  “Oh, Tauriel! Calm down or you will give yourself fits.” “Yes, Mother.”  “I would give you a hug, but I have a feeling that might send you over the edge.  Although I am hoping to be the one you ask to help deliver the babies, so I will be seeing a lot more than I am now.”  “Oh, Gods!!!” Tauriel groaned.  “Tauriel, we’ll talk tomorrow love.  Good night.  Okay Kíli, go calm your poor wife down right now and do a respectable job young man.”  “Oh, Mother.” She just laughed, “you two both need to calm down a bit.”

  I walked back in afraid of what mood Tauriel would be in, so I groveled.  “I am sooo sorry love that she did that. I had no idea and I think I may be sleeping on the floor tonight if not the couch.”  “Oh Kíli, no. It just took me by surprise and I hate surprises, well, surprises like that anyway.  I like birthday surprises.”  “Huh, Tauriel I have known you now for almost a year and I have no idea when your birthday is.  And I don’t recall ever having told you mine.  How about we talk about that and then maybe we can talk about other things and maybe go from there?”  “Ok Kíli, I’m sorry I doubted you.”  I slipped my trousers off and hopped back in bed with her, making her bounce. That brought on a fit of nervous giggles.  I asked her, “are you feeling better now? “Other than being totally mortified I’m fine.  But I am not mad at you, I was silly to not believe you.”  “Hmmm reminds me of a certain dwarf in a cave not so very long ago doesn’t it?” She groaned and said, “I see your point _ghivashel_.”  I snuggled next to her and began playing with her hair.  “So, when is your birthday _lansel_?”  “It is August 3rd.”  I was rather upset at myself for not having ever asked her in all the talks we had during our journey and while we were in Erebor.  “I just missed it,” I said, “I am so sorry darling!  I have to make it up to you somehow.”  “Oh, Kíli it really is no big deal. After 601 of them, it really isn’t as important for elves.”  “To me it is Tauriel.  I want to celebrate your birthday.”

 “I know Mother has hinted to me about the wedding and I keep forgetting to ask you about it.”  Tauriel said, “well we have only been here a week so it’s not like you haven’t been so busy trying to catch up on things and get us settled in.  I’m glad she is OK with just a simple ceremony for us.  I really don’t need anything elaborate.  How we married on our way to the mountain was so perfect, I really don’t need anything else, but I understand she does.” 

She sighed, “I do like it here.  It will be strange to make the long journey all the way back to Erebor.  Plus, I hope things look different when we get back, my memories are good and bad of that place.”  I could tell it was upsetting her thinking about all the moving and uprooting.  I said, “trust me, love, Uncle Thorin has described to me what the finished product will look like and you will be amazed.”  “Tell me Kíli, I want to picture something good in my mind.”  She rolled over, so I spooned against her back and put my arms around her.  I kissed her hair and began to describe the palace.  She stopped me and said, “we will live in a palace? In the mountain?”  I said, “yes, we are royalty what did you think we would live in?”  “Well, I thought something like this place.”  “Oh no love.  You will live in luxury and will have handmaidens and nannies and servants.  Uncle has told me everything.  It will be amazing.  The whole family will live in the palace, but we will have our own wings I guess you could say.” “Was that what your mother meant by living in wings?”  “Yes, love.  We can choose to have dinner with the family in the dining hall or in our own rooms if we want.” So, like the palace in Mirkwood, but just in the mountain?”  “Yes love, only not so gloomy as Mirkwood.” I shuddered.

 I said, “I told uncle Thorin about Lady Galadriel’s blessing, the part about many children.  Not about the Prophecy though.  I still can’t talk about it very well at all. It made me chuckle remembering the look on his face.”  “What did he do Kíli?”  “I outright laughed then. He said, and I quote, ‘You young man get to make all the rooms for those said children.  You got out of making a home for you and Tauriel because we have the palace but if you and she are going to populate the whole place then you can have the fun of carving those rooms out.”  That had Tauriel laughing as well. “Will I be able to decorate in our wing?”  “Of course, my dear.  That is what mother will help you with when we get there.  I am hoping that she and Uncle Thorin will find someone to wed someday.  Even though it is against dwarven custom for a widowed dwarrow dam to remarry, I feel with what Lady Galadriel told us with us changing so many things, that many dwarven customs will be changing as well.  Mother is a very opened minded dwarrow dam, it could happen.  Plus, I think marriage will mellow Uncle Thorin out.”   She laughed aloud, “HA!” and said, “I dare you to say that to his face.”  I laughed and said, “Oh no, and you won’t be letting that slip either.”  “I’d rather kiss an orc Kíli!!”  That really made me laugh. “Yeah, me too,” I said. 

We were quiet then. Snuggled close. Reveling in the fact that for now, this was home, and we were completely safe, just the two of us.  I moved my hand from around her arm to cupping her breast and gently squeezing it, feeling the nipple harden from my touch.  Tauriel let out a long sigh and a soft moan.  She whispered, “have we talked about enough stuff yet Kíli?”  I buried my face into her hair as I chuckled, and she giggled. “Yes, I suppose that is enough pillow talk. I take it you are ready for something else?”  “Very much so darling.”  We had not been making love as often on the last leg of the journey just from sheer exhaustion and I think nerves as well.  It had been almost a month since we last made love and I wanted to make this as relaxing and fulfilling as I could.  We both needed it.

I put my lips to her ear and gently touched her skin, then I kissed her cheek as I pulled back her hair, so I could kiss her neck.  I couldn’t help myself, I nipped her skin a little and the gasp from her instantly aroused me.  She reached back and put her fingers in my hair and then rolled on her back and tilted her head back for me to be able to kiss her throat.  I started behind her ear and moved my way along her jawline, all the while caressing her breasts.  Her breathing had quickened, and she was making soft sounds of pleasure.  I moved and got into a position to start kissing the hollow of her throat as I knew she really loved that.  She had both hands in my hair pulling gently as I moved to her breasts and began to show them some much-needed attention.  She sighed my name over and over moaning softly as I sucked on each nipple.  Then much to her surprise, I began to kiss her belly and for a moment just rested my head there. I smiled, knowing our children were there. 

I moved and had her spread her legs. I got between them, then began to kiss lower and lower.  When she blurted out, “Kíli, are you…?” I just looked up at her and grinned.  Her eyes got wide and she grinned. I said, “I am my love, do you mind?”  I could tell I really took her by surprise.  I nuzzled her, then opened her, gently blowing on her.  I heard a very surprised, “OH!” I moved in and began to flick her clit with my tongue.  I had to quickly pull my head back as she shouted out, “OH GODS, KÍLI!” and thrust up with her hips.  I was enjoying this as much as her.  I then used my chin with my beard and rubbed her, all she could do was cry out again as I held her open.  “Kíli, that feels good, I love when you do that!  Don’t stop!” Just a few minutes of my attention had her arching her back and groaning.  I didn’t stop, and I could hear her panting. When I peeked up at her face I could tell she was orgasming from what I was doing.  Her taste and scent were almost overwhelming in that it was pure Tauriel I tasted and smelled. I knew I would be doing this a lot more as her belly got bigger.  

 I gave her a quick kiss and moved back up to hold her.  She had her arm over her eyes and was breathing heavily.  I had to admit I did feel a bit smug that because of me she was in this condition.  Well because of me she was in her other condition too and that made me chuckle. With her arm still over her eyes, she asked, “What’s so funny?”  I said, “just musing.”  She moved her arm enough to look at me with one eye and said, “huh?”  “Well, I am feeling rather proud of myself that I have you quite undone at the moment.  She snorted and that had me cracking up, making her laugh too. Then I said, “I was thinking that because of me you are in this condition and then I thought because of me you are in the other condition too.”  That really cracked her up and she got the hiccups again.  Then she just sighed and in between hiccups she told me how special that really was. 

I said, “well, I figure once the babies have you with a bulging belly I will be doing that a lot for you.”  She said, “Ooh, I hadn’t thought of that.”  “Aren’t you glad I did?”  She just swatted me, and I kissed her into submission.  She snuggled in the crook of my arm with her head on my chest and was slowly tracing her fingers through the hair on my chest as she yawned. “I may just be attacking you in a few hours.”  “What, that wasn’t enough for you?” I laughed.  I could feel her smirk. “I want to be able to enjoy as much sex as we can before I get too big and then we are busy with babies up to our ears for the next couple of hundred years.”  “Hmm, now that you mention it I think maybe we should be having a lot more sex.”  “Yes, and I think I need to just sleep my afterglow off in your arms my darling husband.”  “Are you telling me to shush up now?”  “I think I am”, she yawned.  I just grinned and kissed her hair.  I loved how her hair smelled.  I wondered to myself as I was drifting off how many of our children would have her amazing hair.  Slowly I fell asleep, and I think I spent the night dreaming of little red-headed daughters calling me Pappa.

**Thorin and Dís’ POV** \- “So Dís.  What do you think of our two lovebirds?”  “Thorin, I think he’s reckless, she grounds him.  She takes everything so seriously, he makes her laugh. She is the most perfect woman I could have ever wished for Kíli.  They adore each other and have been through so much.”  “Hey sis now, don’t look at me like that!”  “I am still miffed at you Thorin for making it so rough on them.”  “Dís, think of it this way.  I made sure, they were sure, that they loved each other, and not just infatuation.  As you said, Kíli is reckless and he just fell head over heels for her.  From what I gather she is young too and having the responsibility of captain of the king’s guard (may he choke on his own hair) made her not very emotional.  But she was attracted to him from the moment we walked in the king’s audience chamber.  I saw her watching him. She didn’t even hear the king command her to take us to the dungeon.”  I laughed.  “He had to repeat himself!  It was all downhill from there for those two. Then when she drown and that old rascal Gandalf put Kíli in charge of her care, I bet the whole company they would be wed by the time they got out.  Everyone thinking I was totally against this thought I was throwing the bet and bet against me. Sure enough on the fourth day out comes Kíli and his new bride.  I was very rich that day,” I laughed again.  “Oh, Thorin you are terrible.”  “How do you figure Dís?”  “I don’t know but that is such a sweet story.  I just love her to pieces.  She is so thoughtful, and helpful, and considerate.  She is funny, and she doesn’t even know it. And to have lost her parents to an orc attack when she was so little, right in front of her.  The poor dear. That dolt Thranduil couldn’t love a puppy if it licked his face! So she got no love from a mother or father, bless her heart.  She just drinks up my hugs and attention. She is like the daughter I never had, and never knew I wanted.  My life was so full with Fíli and Kíli and their shenanigans.  She has a calming influence, you must admit that Thorin.  Your temper has mellowed a great deal since she married Kíli.  Speaking of marriage big brother...” “Oh no, you don’t Dís.” “What?”  “I’ve already been over this with Kíli.  I am too old and set in my ways.  Plus, I did my time raising Fíli and Kíli and that almost killed me.” I chuckled.  “You and Víli’s spawn.”  “Oooh, Thorin Oakenshield.”  “Oh-ho, my full name, I must be in trouble now.”  “I can still outrun you and catch you in the head with a frying pan big brother.”  “Ok, I surrender, you win.” Dís laughed at me.  “You old fuddy-duddy Thorin.” “I love you too Dís.  How about you get Fíli married, huh?  We need to keep the line of Durin going.”  “Oh, I have a few pokers in the fire for him.”  “HA, I knew you would!  You never disappoint, and I know you are going to let him think he did it all on his own, am I right?”  “As ever always big brother.  I love you too Thorin.”  “Good night Dís.”  “Good night Thorin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had morning sickness from 6 weeks (when I had a classic gallbladder attack which no one at the hospital knew and were trying to get me to abort my son-I hate hospitals!!) until almost 5 months. I never really threw up because all I ate was white rice and iceberg lettuce. I made my husband eat out every night. When he got home to our apt. there was a tiny alcove inside the apartment in front of our door. I made him stip to his skivvies and put his clothes in the wash in the basement and then race into the shower to wash off food smells. I worked at a print shop and other than the smell of the ink rolls and the folks who came in marinated in perfumes and colognes I was OK. I felt like puking but those marinated folks made me dry heave. Very embarrassing!  
> My food craving was a huge bowl, like a picnic party-sized bowl of Chinese food (orange chicken, sesame chicken, whatever) mixed with anything Mexican from only Taco Bell and a 1 pound bag of gummy worms! All blended together into the most eye-rolling delicious mix of flavor and texture a pregnant woman could want. Made everyone gag LOL  
> When we first moved into our 2nd apartment I had no clue the floors and walls were paper thin. I am rather vocal. I died when our "Dude" neighbor congratulated my husband on how much he was getting! He said to keep up, I don't mind. I put my face in a pillow for the next 10 years.  
> Any grammar errors or such, I take full responsibility for. I am BETA reading them myself and as sick as I am, I am seeing double half the time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting the stage for Fili's HEA in book three. We rehash the events of the ending of chapter 17 in book 1 on how Kili became immortal. Family interaction as Tauriel learns more about the new culter she has married into as well as the new family she is now a part of.   
> Kili can't handle the past year, but Tauriel is right there and knows exactly how to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I am sorry this has been so long between chapters. That head cold I told you about, well I was almost over it and suddenly I starting feeling like crap again. I caught a second cold worse than the first! But sleeping almost 18 hours a day is boring LOL I really want to get to the dwelves!!! I'm sure ya'll do as well. So I am posting a double chapter to move things along and make up for the long wait.
> 
> ALSO: As I wrote in the summary, Kili is unable to handle the horrors of the past year and it finally breaks. He has a severe PTSD attack. Tauriel knows how to help him and he is fine once it runs it's course. I have PTSD, so I write from experience, OK a female's perspective. But I know that how Tauriel handles Kili's attack is indeed one way a male is able to purge the soul. It is not angsty, just drama. I am only stating this as some people can have hair triggers to what I have written. It is not until almost the end of chapter four and I will have a quick warning posted.
> 
> I do hope despite all that you enjoy chapter 4

**Tauriel’s POV-** I was in the living room studying my dwarven custom and language notes, trying to memorize all the things I would need to know.  I really began to feel drained from studying so much so I thought I would take a short break. I put the notes down only to looked up to see Fíli standing in the doorway looking abashed.  “Hi, Fíli!  What’s up?  Do you want to come in and talk?”  Fíli shuffled back and forth and then slowly came in to sit in a chair opposite me.  He sat ramrod straight. Looking awkward and uncomfortable.  I said, “Fíli, whatever is the matter? You can talk to me.  You are like a brother to me.”  Fíli cleared his throat a few times and tried to get comfortable in the chair.  I felt it is best to wait until he started to talk.  Finally, he coughed, cleared his throat again and said, “I need to talk to you Tauriel.  I don’t know how to say it, so I will just lay it out and we can sort it out, I hope.” 

“Ok Fíli.  I hope I haven’t done anything wrong.”  “No, no, no!  I am the one with the problem you are wonderful. You are so good for Kíli.  I am so glad you found each other.  You both have such a special bond.”  “Well Fíli, you helped quite a bit in that if you will remember.”  “Yeah, it took me by surprise, an elf, and a dwarf, but hey, love is love right?” “Yes, it is.  But I have a feeling that is not what you wanted to talk to me about.” 

“Right, ok then, well, see, I have been getting these weird thoughts and feelings that I don’t understand, and they always seem to come from you. I mean not that you say or do anything, just that when you are near me and sometimes when I come home. I don’t even need to see you, but I know you are home.” He paused for a bit, so I said, “OK, keep talking.” “It’s not that I love you romantically because I am pretty sure it’s not that and I only love you as a sister because you are like a sister I never had.  But there is this feeling of love I have and that I get when I think of you and I think I am starting to lose my mind.  I really have no romantic inclinations to steal you from my brother!  I am just really confused.” 

I asked, “when did they start Fíli?” “I don’t know if I can pin it down exactly, but I know it was after the battle of the five armies.  I was so glad we were all alive and we had won. So, I chalked it up to that.  Then when you and Kíli got home the first day it was like something I could not see jumped into my heart and loved me and I felt I loved whatever it was right back. But it seemed to be you and that alarmed me.  Now it is to the point when I am near you the love is overwhelming.”

“Fíli, would it be alright if I called the rest of the family in, so I only have to tell the tale once? I promise you that you are not going crazy and you are not in love with me.  But if you let me get everyone I can tell you what it is.” “If it will help me understand all this then by all means, please.  I really want to know what is going on...” “OK,” I said, “I will be right back, you just try and relax.”

I went and found Kíli and Thorin in Thorin’s study. I asked if they might please come to the living room, it was rather important or I wouldn’t ask.  Kíli asked if I was Ok. I just looked at him, he hung his head and said, “OK my love.”  Thorin looked between the two of us and said, “I’ll go get Dís and be right back.”  “Thank you, Uncle,” Kíli said.  I hugged Kíli and said, “this will hopefully be the last time we have to tell this until the children are older and can understand. Who knows, we may not even need to tell them, love.” He laughed softly and said, “if only it would be that easy.”  I kissed him, and he held me, gently rubbing my growing belly.

We got to the living room and heard Thorin ask Dís if she wasn’t busy Tauriel had something important to tell everyone.  You could hear the panic in her voice as she said, “is she OK?”  Thorin just said, “let’s go see what she has to say.”  I shooed Fíli out of the chair and onto the couch with Thorin and Dís.  I started by saying, “Fíli has brought some concerns to me and I feel it is best to tell this story once and then we can talk about it if you wish.”  “So,” I started, holding Kíli’s hand tight as I heard him taking long deep breaths.  “It all sort of started at the end of the battle of the five armies when we were fighting Azog.  I will start there.  You remember how Azog had smashed Fíli into the mountainside and we had to draw Azog away to keep him from killing Fíli.  Then Thorin you were injured and knocked unconscious. Well, it was then that Kíli jumped on Azog’s back to grab his ax to keep it from killing you.  Azog swung and hit me. Almost knocking me over the cliff’s edge.  By then Kíli had grabbed the ax, but Azog grabbed him, swinging its ax, and pierced Kíli through the heart killing him.” 

Kíli squeezed my hand and I heard him choke out a sob.  By now Dís was in tears. Fíli and Thorin were not fairing much better.  “I saw the light leave Kíli’s eyes and my heart shattered. I was filled with such rage to kill Azog myself or die trying.  But I couldn’t move, my body was paralyzed! It was at that point I suddenly heard a sound like thousands of angry bees. Looking towards the sound I saw above Azog a swarm, for lack of a better word, of black blobs that swirled around it. When it dropped Kíli to the ground the blobs instantly surrounded it. I could see nothing but the swirling blobs, but I could hear Azog dying an excruciating death.  The blood was draining from it like a wet rag being wrung out and then it was gone, just gone. The blood was too. 

I saw Kíli lying there on the ground cover in blood. Realizing I could move again, I started to crawl to him. Suddenly he was surrounded, but by light and these were small orbs of light with little trails of light behind them. They raised Kíli up surrounding him, becoming so bright I had to cover my eyes and still, I could see the light.  The sound of little musical bells was in the air as was the smell of summer.  I was filled with joy and hope.  I have no idea how long this took as time had no meaning but suddenly it all stopped! I looked up to see Kíli rolling around. I scrambled to him calling him.  He was alive!  He had not a scratch on him, but his clothes were ruined.  We didn’t know what to make of it but had no time to dwell on it as you and Fíli were both injured, Thorin.  We had Dwalin carry you to Fíli as I examined Fíli.  He was bleeding severely internally, and his neck was broken.  He was going to die soon.”

 Dís burst into tears. Fíli and Thorin held her until she was able to calm down.  I began again.  “There was nothing I could do.  I knew the babies had saved Kíli.  I felt them move and I felt their magic.  I tried to somehow get them to save Fíli and Thorin, but nothing was happening.”

 “We sent Dwalin to get Gandalf. He and the others in the company came.  They stood in a circle around Fíli and Thorin with Gandalf at the head of the circle, Kíli on one side, I on the other.  He lifted his staff and it glowed blue over all of us but then it began to glow a golden light.  Gandalf spoke Sindarin to the babies. He told them to heal Thorin and Fíli but not make them undying as they had done to their father.  The light from Gandalf’s staff grew brighter until a brilliant burst of light flashed over all the company. All but Gandalf and I fell to the ground.  He praised the babies and said, ‘all will be well in time, the people here love you little ones and I know you love them.  They will care for you and you will watch over them.’ Then the light went out. I went to Fíli, as Thorin was already coming around, and I held his hand speaking to him until he woke up.  The rest, you know.” 

 “But only Dís knows this part.  Gandalf gave me the clue I needed to understand Galadriel’s blessing on Kíli.  She pronounced him immortal.  As immortal as an elf.  Kíli will never die, he will age to 100 then never age again.  He will live forever.  The babies resurrected him and gave him immortality.  She told us the babies were part of a prophecy from The age of the Trees.  That Kíli and I were the start.” 

“Our union fulfilled the prophecy and the babies were the instruments in filling it over all the races of middle earth.  She said we would understand one day. But until then, to love them and nurture them.  She said we would have many, many children. And right now, I am pregnant with six babies.”  Thorin shouted, “SIX?!?” I had to chuckle at the perplexed look on his face.  I again explained the delayed implantation and Thorin just shook his head and said, “only you Kíli, would have something like this happen.”  Kíli snorted, and I just laughed saying, “really it was more my fault than his.”

“Now. Fíli, to answer your question.  What you are feeling is the love the babies have for you. They healed you and they love you very much.  I feel it when they are thinking about you, and you too Thorin. You may have been feeling the love in a peculiar way that was connected to me but that you may not have fully understood.  It is these little rascals letting you know they already love you. They can hear your voices and recognize them. They just adore you all so much.  So, to put your minds at ease, this is what you are feeling.  Do you feel it too Mother?”  Dís said, “I just thought it was the love I felt at having the whole family home safe and sound.  As well as having you in my life, with the babies soon on the way.  I feel love, contentment, and a happiness I have never known.  This is from the babies?”  “Yes, Mother,” Kíli finally spoke.  “Oh Kíli, Oh Fíli, Thorin!!”  Dís burst into tears again and grabbed us all in her arms hugging and kissing us all. Even stoic Thorin was misty eyed. 

“Now I am thinking that with my size and other signs, the babies are due in about 10 months.  That will be 20 months’ gestation which is what I originally thought.  Then my dear family.  The fun begins, and we get to meet these two.”

 “I hope this helps everyone understand.” I had to pause for a moment as my own emotions quite suddenly became rather overwhelming.  I was a bit choked up when I told them, “I just want to say how much I love you all.  That you have let me into your lives and have accepted me as one of your own.  Helping me with the language, customs, and so many other things.  But most of all that you love me too. And our babies.”

Thorin spoke then and said, “so Fíli and I are not immortal?”  “No Thorin.” “Huh, it would have come in handy as the king.”  I carefully said, “Thorin, Galadriel promised Kíli and me that his whole family would one day be immortal.  She didn’t know when, but her foresight had shown it to her.”  The family was stunned by this. “We do not know if you have to be dead or dying to have this happen or really how it will happen but somehow, through the children, it will happen.  She promised Kíli that things he never dreamed of would be blessed to us through this prophecy.” 

Kíli looked at all of us trying very hard to say something.  He just started crying and I quickly moved over to him, hugging him.  He rested his head on my chest. Telling the story, even with its happy ending seemed to break the dam that Kíli had been holding back from all the things he had seen and felt on his journey that had shocked him out if the innocents of his carefree life. I explained this to everyone.

 Dís came to Kíli. When he looked at her she pulled his head down to her and she rested her forehead on his. “Kíli. What have I always told you?”  “I don’t remember Mother.”  “Kíli, don’t borrow trouble where there is none.  Trust Galadriel.  She is one of the oldest and wisest of the elves. She said the babies will bring you and your family immense joy.  Think about that son and not on somber things.”

  “I think we need to get you more involved in the coming wedding son. There is still much to be done.  Plus, you two have to come up with plans for a nursery in the palace that suits you.  Kíli you should at least be getting some ideas on who to commission for baby furniture. As well as everything else you two will need to start a new home of your own. We will be heading home in the spring around March and need to be thinking about that.  I have a feeling you will find all this worrying will be for naught Kíli.”  “I hope you’re right Mother.”  “Kíli, I know I am, I’m always right.”  Kíli laughed and then she told me, “Tauriel, take him and smother him with love until he is cheered up my dear.”  I had a huge smile on my face and I said, “it will be my pleasure.”  I took Kíli’s hand and we went to the privacy of our room. I knew once we were alone something big was going to happen with Kíli.

 __________________PTSD ATTACK__________

I was right. As soon as I closed the door and turned to him he had tears streaming down his face.  I hugged him, but he was tense and trembling. I could tell he needed comfort but not in the usual way.  More like a physical release of pent-up emotions.  Crying may be a fine way for me to unleash my emotions, but I knew sex was going to be the only way for Kíli. 

I grabbed his face and kissed him fiercely. My kissing him hard seemed to unlock the wall he had put up.  He returned my kiss in a hungry and hard way.  He began undressing me pulling my clothes off and just tossing them. I was helping him with his trousers when he pushed my hands away and just ripped the cords and pulled them down.  He tore his tunic as he was pulling that off.  I had my skirt off before he was ready, he then lifted me on the bed and moved over me. 

He started squeezing my breasts hard, then sucking on my neck. I knew that was going to leave a mark.  He didn’t even suck on my breasts.  He was trying so hard to not cry.  Thankfully I was ready when he put my legs up on his shoulders, thrusting in hard and deep.  He moved frantically, thrusting with all he had.  I could feel myself building up when suddenly, he screamed at the top of his lungs letting out all the unbearable emotions he was feeling as he climaxed in me. 

He pulled out immediately. Dropping my legs as he began heart-wrenching sobs and occasional screams that he could not stop now that the gates were open.  He curled up in a ball next to me and nestled his face in my cleavage, his arms held tight against his chest as if he was going to shatter into a million pieces.  I put my arms around him and rubbed his back, running my fingers through his hair. Softly saying, shh, shh, shh repeatedly.  I let it run its course and soon his was drawing in ragged breaths instead of sobs.  Slowly he relaxed. I continued to play with his hair as he began to fall asleep. 

I felt drained as well. I had never seen him this way before.  But then again nothing like this had ever happened to him before.  I was so glad I was able to help him, I was hoping by the time he woke up he would be feeling much better for having purged months of this turmoil from his system. 

I had no idea what time it was when I heard a soft knock on the door.  I didn’t want to wake Kíli, but whoever was at the door would never hear me whisper.  I was pretty sure it was Dís. When I heard the door handle click and saw her with a candle peeking in, I waved to her to come over.  We were mostly covered up. 

She said, “it’s late and you never got your supper Tauriel.  I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do.  How’s Kíli?”  I could hear a mother’s concern in her voice and I knew that she had in some way wanted to comfort her baby, but she knew he was at a stage in his life that he wanted his wife not his mother.  I whispered, “I think the worst is over.”  I could tell she wanted to do something, so I asked her if she wouldn’t mind just sitting with him as I really needed to use the bathroom.  I was still new to dwarven culture but from what I had read and in asking Dís, I found out that nudity was not taboo to the dwarves.  Families thought nothing of it.  The only reason things were different in their home was that they had no idea about elven culture’s feelings on it. Feeling it was rude to ask. I had told her elves felt the same as dwarves, but elves kept it to immediate family only. 

So even though I was naked, I didn’t stop. I just carefully disentangled myself from Kíli and slid off the bed.  I reached for my robe, slipping that on as I went to go.  I looked at mother and son as she was stroking his hair gently.  Her heart was aching too.  He left as her baby and came home a different person, a dwarf full grown, with a wife and babies of his own on the way.  It was a hard change for her. 

I left her with him while I sat down, hoping Kíli would not try to beat himself up for the sex we had.  He was always careful and attentive, but this time there was no choice but for it to be all about him. I was going to make sure he knew I held nothing against him.  If anything, it made me feel relieved that he would let me in and help him during difficult times in his life. 

We would need to talk about it when he was ready, but until then I would just love him as much if not more than before.  He needed comfort and healing.  He had seen things that he was not prepared for on his journey.  He had led a very sheltered life and had been shocked into reality the hard way.  If I knew him as well I thought I did he would want to talk in the morning, then we would clear things up.

I came back out and Kíli had rolled over so Dís was rubbing his back.  I asked, “can we get a quick bite to eat?  I think he will be OK alone for a little bit.”  We both went to the kitchen where she got the fixings for a late-night meal.  I just had some meat and cheese with a bit of fruit.  She asked, “what would you like to drink?” I looked at her and asked, “do you have wine?”  She came over to me and embraced me in a huge hug and said, “this is not easy for either one of you, is it?”  I said, “I’m fine, more than anything I’m worried about Kíli.”  I asked, “did he hold his emotions in as a child?” She chuckled saying, “no never, he was a very emotional child, you always knew what he was thinking. As he grew he did moderate his emotions, but he was never shy to come and talk to me.  Let me get you some wine, my dear.” 

We talked all through the night about many things, getting to really know each other better. It felt so good talking to a mother and I told her just that.  She treated me like a daughter and I think she was trying to make up for almost 600 years of me not being hugged.  I had told her about that a few days after we arrived and were talking.  She was just heartbroken I had to go through something like that.

 “I love you so much, Mother. I had no idea it would feel this wonderful to have a mother’s love.” I was rather choked up when I told her, “I truly cherish you, Mother.”  “I am just as pleased to have you as my daughter Tauriel. It was quite a surprise after all, but not even I could have ever picked someone so perfect for Kíli.  It does a mother’s heart good when she can love the woman her son picks for a wife, and oh how I love you! You have a maturity that even some dwarrow dams my age do not possess, and I am quite proud of you for not letting Thorin get to you.”  I had to laugh at that.  She got a chuckle when I told her, “He is all bark and no bite.”

Before I knew it, Fíli was walking out.  “You ladies are up early.”  I asked, “is it morning already?”  “Were you up all night?” “I should be getting back. Kíli will probably be waking up any time now.”  Fíli asked, “is he was OK?” “I think we are through the worst of it.  Your brother was in shock from the past year. He had led a carefree life and suddenly all that changed.  It just all came out last night. So, I hope we are past the worst of it.”  Fíli hugged me and said, “if anyone can help it is most definitely you Tauriel.”  I thanked him and Dís, then went back to our room.  Kíli was still asleep. I slipped off my robe and slid into bed, spooning with him, wrapping my arm around him as I nestled my face in his hair and was soon asleep.

 

**Kíli’s POV-** I slowly woke up and even though I was sure I had slept for hours I felt drained and yet light at the same time somehow.  Then it hit me what I had done last night, and I quickly reached for Tauriel.  She was wrapped around me sound asleep.  So at least she wasn’t mad at me or hated me.  I had no idea what happened, something just let go inside and my brain stopped working or something.  What was I going to tell Tauriel? 

I carefully rolled over so as to not wake her and she just snuggled closer to me.  I wanted to let her sleep, but I also needed to talk to her.  I was torn and didn’t know what to do.  I was struggling with that when I heard her yawn and looked down to see the most beautiful green eyes looking back at me with a soft smile on her sleepy face.  “Hi,” she said.  “Hi.”  “How are you Kíli?”  “I-I don’t know.  I’m so sorry for last night I have no idea what happened.”

“Kíli, I will not let you beat yourself up over this, do you hear me?  If I did not want you doing what we did last night I would have stopped you immediately.   If you went too far and were hurting me, I would have stopped it. Again, immediately.  I knew what you needed. I knew sex was the only way you would be able to break down the walls you had put up to protect yourself from the things that have happened in the last year.”

  “Last night was your breaking point when I told your family everything.”  “Tauriel, I have so many regrets and I…” “Kíli, I command you to have none, my darling husband.”  “But Tauriel I didn’t even let you have your pleasure, it was all about me and I feel wretched about that.”  “Kíli, NO!  It broke my heart to see you in so much pain and suffering, but I knew I could give you the relief you needed so desperately.  I feel so lucky that I could do that for you.  I do not think a dwarrow dam would have been able to do what I did for you.  I am proud of you that you did not hold this in until it caused problems for us.  That you sought me for comfort.  Now we can go forward from here.” 

“Do you think you have the energy to rub some lotion on my belly and maybe sing to the babies?  Perhaps them letting you know how much they love you will help too.  We all love you darling.  Your mother came in quite late, worried about you.  I gave her some time with you, she rubbed your back and ran her fingers through your hair in a way I am sure she did when you were her little boy and you needed her.  Fíli and Thorin were concerned about you as well love.  We all love you and understand.”

“Tauriel, I…” “No sweetheart.”  “Hey, I was just going to say I love you too.”  “Oh. Sorry”, I laughed.  “Thank you Tauriel, for being everything I never knew I needed or wanted.  My life is so full of love now, I just felt guilty that I was so unraveled inside.  Tauriel, it really will be Ok, won’t it?” “Kíli I have told you before.  With the connections, these little ones feel for their family and how protective they are it will all have a happily ever after for all of us.  I think too that is what Galadriel saw and felt will be the blessings in our lives for following this prophecy.”  Kíli was wide-eyed when said softly, “I pray you all are right.  I have never been so happy and so sad in my life.” 

 

“If you really think about it love, I never would have felt an attraction to you had it not been for the prophecy.”

 

“Elves and dwarves have an almost religious distrust and enmity between each other.  If it had not been the prophecy, then you would have simply walked in the throne room that day and I would have paid attention to the conversation. Not found myself enthralled by you.  I've never told you but as soon as you came up the stairs and I saw you everything around me went away.  I heard nothing, saw nothing, but you.  That was why Thranduil had to repeat himself to me.  Why I felt his command to imprison all of you was so wrong. Why after I locked you up, I stayed behind to find out what was going on.  Every other time I have followed Thranduil's orders and then simply left the cell block as it was no longer my concern or duty to guard the prisoners.   I felt nothing for the others I had done that to.  But I made sure I was the one to put you in your cell and your smart little quip about me checking your trousers made me laugh.  

Why on earth would I come back with better food and blankets?  That is not something I would have done, much less revisited you and talked to you. It was all the prophecy.”  

 

“Elves don't feel a sexual attraction for each other until they have been joined.  We feel affection and love for someone that makes us want to pursue a relationship with the other but really it only happens once to us.”  

 

“The whole trip of getting the company to Erebor had me in knots over you.  For an elf to fall in love with a dwarf almost immediately...” I just shook my head.  “That absolutely never happens. We are literally the first pairing my love.  If what we have learned from Galadriel about the prophecy is true, all dwarves will from here forward become immortal through our children.  How on such a large scale I can't fathom.  But we were told we would have many children.  I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that our children will indeed make everyone you love immortal and not too far in the future.”

 

   “Elves are mentally adults by one year. And physically the equivalent of an adult in the capacity to move, dance, whatever at one.  It will be interesting to see how long our children will be babyish.  Taking the dwarven part of their heritage and aging slower in the beginning and how much elven heritage both mentally and physically.  Does that help any Kíli?” 

 

“Tauriel I know I will feel better when I see it actually happen, but Galadriel’s words do make me feel much better knowing she has such confidence in this prophecy thing.  I had never heard of it, had you?”  No love I hadn’t either.  It is from The Years of the Trees. I guess that only the elves from that time who are still alive today knew of it.  How Gandalf knew is a question I would like to ask him.  He seems to be more than what he appears with all that he has been doing in just my lifetime of over 600 years.  I can only imagine how old he really is.” 

“I had never met him until after Lake Town.  I had heard Uncle Thorin speak of him and he told me it was Gandalf that sent us to Erebor in the first place.  So yeah, I guess he is more magical than we imagined.”

 

oooOOOOooo

  **Tauriel’s POV** \- “Kíli I want to ask you something and you can say no to this if you want.”  “Uhm, like that's not a loaded question.”   I laughed, “sorry darling.”  “Just ask me Tauriel.”   “I was wondering if you would feel like making love to me in the position we were in that night you were so upset?”  “Why?”  “Because it felt incredible and I wanted to try it again to the end for me.”  

 

**Kíli’s POV-** I can't say I didn’t feel a little trepidation trying this, but once I looked down at her with her legs on my shoulders, I wondered why we hadn’t done this before.  She looked amazing with her baby belly and her breasts so full.  She looked at me questioningly and I grinned saying, “just enjoying the view.”  Her face turned bright red and she giggled like crazy.  I was able to guide myself slowly into her.  She moaned and arched her back grabbing the bars of the headboard.  I began to thrust faster, and the feeling blew me away.   I held her legs and just watched her as she experienced the pleasure of this lovemaking.  I loved the way my thrusting in her and her thrashing made her body move in incredibly arousing ways.  I felt her clench me and watched her face as she orgasmed.  The way she arched and the intensity on her face.  I was so close to my own orgasm, I sped up my thrusts and she cried out “harder Kíli”.  I was shocked, but I thrust harder and again she experienced massive amounts of pleasure from the multiple times she clenched me and cried out.  I finally reached my peak and released into her with a deep groan of pleasure as I just trembled from how amazing it was for both of us this time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to chapter 5...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eastward ho to Erebor! Settling in is difficult but exciting as everyone tries to adjust. I start here with giving you a little taste of life in the mountain and how it may look. I found some fantastic artwork on tumbr but don't know who did it to get permission to post it, it is stunning. We are in the final countdown to dwleves, people!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy and let me know what you think. Remember! Canon is cherry-picked and cliches live forever in my stories.

**(March 2943-May 2943)**

**Thorin’s POV-** With the new mountain pass and New Forest road, passage back to Erebor was almost a dream compared to the nightmare it was a year ago.  It had almost a holiday air about it as hundreds of my people moved eastward; moved home!  We were no longer homeless people.  I would make sure if it was the last thing I did, I was going to make Erebor greater than it ever was.  I did not have the gold sickness of my grandfather, I had never worn the dwarven ring of power, so my mind was clear. I knew my duty to my family and my people.

We arrived in May and all the work was complete.  Balin had done an excellent job overseeing everything.  The mountain was more magnificent than I ever remember it being as a child.  You could see in all the details the craftsmanship of the many races that toiled to help us come back to our home.

You walked in the great doors and were met with a grand entrance that had so many details of symbolism for the dwarven people.  A massive staircase went up as far as the eye could see and all the levels therein.  Once I had a chance to talk to Balin I would know better if they were able to follow the blueprints we had set up before I left.  For now, I just wanted to get my people settled.  The dwarves who had toiled so long and hard were greeted with loud cheers. Many families were reunited who had not seen each other since before the war.  These dwarves began to guide their families to their homes, and quicker than I could imagine, the great hall was open. It was now time for my little family to move into the palace.

I had a hall of my own as well as Kíli and Tauriel.  Fíli had chosen a smaller home for now even though he had a hall himself.  Dís moved into her hall but I could tell she was not happy about the family being split.  For almost 80 years we had been together.  I think if the boys and I took turns having her stay with us it would help her transition.  She was no more than a baby when we went into exile, so this was all new to her.  She had only known the Blue Mountains.

When I walked into my home I was quite pleased with the craftsmanship, the layout, and floorplan as well as the décor that had been chosen for me. It was subtly masculine but not so over the top that if I were to take a queen, it would give her fits. I walked through the whole place but found I felt a bit lonely myself.  I was used to banter and the sounds of living people moving about a home.  I guess I would get used to it eventually.

I would present myself to the other dwarf lords in three days,  return the Arkenstone to her home and be confirmed, King.  It would only be the dwarf lords, several witnesses from the elves and humans as well as the family.  From there I would begin my reign as King and all that came with it.

**Kíli’s POV** \- Tauriel was checking out our living quarters and seemed very pleased, which mother told me something about nesting or something. Meaning that the as the due date got closer Tauriel would want to clean and organize to get everything ready for the babies.  So, moving to Erebor when she was 18 months pregnant had me nervous that she would be unhappy with things.  Mother assured me that she would help settle Tauriel in to make a smooth transition.   I knew I would have nothing to worry about after I explained to her that the huge hole on the floor in our bedroom was a bathing pool and promised her it did indeed have running hot water.  She actually squealed, clapped her hands together very fast and asked me, no begged me, if we could use it right now.  I said, “we are expected at dinner right now, but we can do it after dinner.”  The quivering lower lip undid me, and I started the water for her. I very firmly told her to not get in until I got back, I would excuse us from dinner.  I think she nodded but it was hard to tell as she was stripping clothes off so fast I wasn't sure.

I went to the family dining room and everyone looked at me. Mother asked, “where is Tauriel dear? Is she alright?”  All I had to say was, “she discovered the bath.”  Everyone was laughing, as I excused us from dinner.

 

After her long soak in which she proclaimed she was in heaven not having the weight of the babies pulling on her back, we dried off and slipped into robes to further examine the whole place.  It was huge compared to the Blue Mountains. We spoke quietly as our voices echoed a bit.  I told her tapestries would help with as well as area rugs and furs.  She really wanted Ori to paint as many large pictures as he could for her of the outside with lots of sun, blue sky, and flowers.  She wanted to bring the outdoors in.  It was a bit difficult for her to live in the mountains and not feel the wind all the time or be able to see the sky.  I knew I would eventually have to do something about that. 

 

When you first walked into the front door you walked right into the kitchen with a short hall to the left that was a mudroom of sorts. It had huge closets for cloaks and coats as well as plenty of room for boots. There was a small tub sink and plenty of cabinets.  After that was another hallway leading down to the bedrooms.  I had asked for 6 rooms to start with and as the children came along I would just have more added.  A powder room was a little way down the hall for guests as each bedroom had its own bath and shower.  Our room had the largest bath and was by far the largest of the bedrooms.  We could fit the whole family in it.  Plus, the bathing pool for soaking.

 

Off the kitchen was the dining room. We had a gorgeously crafted dining table that was massive. It would seat at least 20 people.  I said we can break this monster down to something manageable just for us until we have 18 children. Making her laugh. She was muttering to herself of all the festive decorations she would need to make or buy for all the holidays. That a table this size needed a grand centerpiece.  I lost track as that was her realm, not mine.

Next was a hearth and living room. That was rather large as well. Our home was not meant for any formal gatherings of state, so I wanted comfort above all else.  The furniture was perfect and Tauriel was cooing over everything.  I asked her if it suited her and she just glowed with happiness hugging me, saying, “this is where we will raise out family Kíli, I am home!”  She held me tight and I could tell she was rather choked up about it.  But I said, “let’s keep exploring, shall we?”

 

The family room transitioned nicely from the more formal living room to a much less formal room. It had a lower ceiling than the kitchen, dining room, and living room, giving it a cozier feel. The hearth in this room was massive!  I could stand in it with my arms spread and not touch the top or the sides.  It was so beautiful though with the wood and stone.  The massive oak mantle was stunning.  We had several couches and plenty of chairs all poufy that looked so inviting for lazy afternoon naps.    I told Tauriel, “we can pick out furs and rugs for the whole home. I’m sure as soon as Ori is settled we can commission him for the paintings you want.”  She loved seeing elven lights in the home and said, “perhaps we could ask for a few more just to brighten the place up a bit.”  I added that to my mental list.

 Off the family room was an enormous empty room that would become the main playroom and activity center for all our children.  There were closets galore and another powder room.

 

We walked back down the hall that had the bedrooms and discovered a considerably large room that I took was meant for storage at the end of the hallway.  Tauriel said, “this will be nice to keep holiday decorations and extra seating if we need it, as well as storage for the children’s things.”  I asked her if it met her approval and she said, "the only thing I would like to change is a bathroom in the hall to bathe the children.  Having bathrooms in their rooms will be wonderful as they get older and we had more children but for now trying to wash a bunch of children in the on-suite bathrooms is just not practical.  Other than that, I am in love with it.”  I said, “then we can stay with mother I am sure. We can have a bathroom drawn up and put in for you.” 

She was amazed at how it was geothermally heated and cooled and that the plumbing and air vents blended in, in such a way, one neither saw nor heard anything.  I tried explaining the post system to her, but she laughed and said, “as long as it works, and you trust it, I don’t need to know the how. I'll just follow your directions!”  

She was in love with the kitchen.  I said, “you really don’t have to cook for us darling we can just take all our meals in the dining hall.”  But she insisted.  “I want to be able to eat in my underclothes or no clothes and getting formally dressed at every meal will be too much.”  “Plus, I love cooking now that mother has taken me under her wing and taught me so much.”  We had a huge gas stove and double oven in the wall, a massive ice chest that probably held a coffin size block of ice in it.  I would have to figure out how that worked to set up deliveries and such to keep it cold.  There was a huge island for and I quote my wife, ‘creating masterpieces for dinner’, as well having the children draw and have informal meals and snacks. 

I said, “why don’t we change and see how Mother is settling in, I know she is not at all happy being alone.”  We walked to her hall and knocked on her door.  It was as if she were waiting for us all day, the door opened immediately. She hugged us both at the same time and practically dragged us in.  I asked, “are you Ok Mother?” She said, “this home is fine, but I’m lonely already.”  I said, “then how about this.  Tauriel has a few ideas she wants to have changed in our home and it will require some carving out of the walls.  Would you like company for a month while we get things settled?”  “Oh Kíli, I would love that!  It will make this easier on me to transition to this.  I don’t remember anything at all.  It is as new to me as it is to you.” 

Tauriel said, “I have a funny feeling that for a while we are all going to be spending time with you.”  It was right then we heard the door knock. Mother opened it to see a bashful Fíli and Uncle Thorin standing there and she just laughed.  They did too and came in and then laughed to see us.  Uncle Thorin said, “old habits die hard.  You are the heart of this family Dís and we just gravitate to you.”  That had her in tears.  She just said, “it is all so new to me.”  “Well,” Uncle Thorin said, “I wanted to ask if I might stay here a bit as I wanted a few changes done to my place.”  He looked confused when everyone started to laugh.  Fíli said, “I was just going to ask the same thing.” Mother said, “Tauriel and Kíli beat you to it.  So yes, you can all stay here for as long as you want.”

                                                  

**June 2943**

**(Tauriel 19 months pregnant)**

**Kíli’s POV-** Once the work was done, Mother and Tauriel went into full gear decorating the place.  Mother had not been joking about this nesting thing.  Even though Tauriel was exhausted most of the time, she got the biggest thrill having Ori hang his paintings and Fíli and I hung the tapestries for her.  She even had a picture in our bedroom of what could either be a sunrise or sunset.  She said it set the mood at night and was cheerful to wake up to.

Mother had taken me aside and warned me that some women begin to feel fat and ugly when they get along in pregnancy.  I should take exceptional care to make Tauriel feel beautiful and special.  The wonderful thing was, she wasn’t like that at all.  She looked at herself as a mother to be and was thrilled at the changes in her body.  She just glowed and was always with a small smile on her face.  She grumbled a bit when she had to slow down and was not able to help as much and slept more and more.  But she laughed at herself as she waddled around with her hand on her back.  I rubbed lotion on her belly every morning and every night to ease the stretching skin plus I loved to talk and sing to the babies while doing it. Feeling them kick and roll over.  Tauriel was so content with the babies sending out their love to us, as well as my attention to her and my love for her.  She was radiant, and I felt so blessed to have her in my life.  Not one day went by that I was not thinking about how thankful I was that she was my wife.

 Only a very small amount of the community was not pleased that I had taken an elf to wife and was producing half breeds.  That made me see red.  I did not like the term half breed one bit.  But I kept my peace.  If anyone had said such things in Tauriel’s hearing, then I would have had to have words with them.  But mostly it was the oldest of the dwarves that were not happy with it and they would not confront me. 

Our lives were a waiting time now as Tauriel grew bigger and bigger and had us counted down the weeks.  We were at one month to go and she felt she was correct in her assumption that 20 months would be the due date.  She was hoping to go as long as possible, so the babies would have as much development and no complications.  We had no idea what to expect with any of this.  Mother coached Tauriel in what child birth would be like.  Tauriel was a healer but had never helped with a birth or really learned much about it.  She was better at battle wounds and like with me, poisonings, and sicknesses.  I was afraid she would put on a brave face for me and try to deal with it alone.  But we talked all the time about our concerns, our hopes and what kind of life we would have when the babies came.  Galadriel said we would have many children and Tauriel was thrilled with that.

 When Mother spoke to me about how Tauriel would be mentally and physically after the birth, that I should keep up with praising her and complimenting her but also remember that she would be very tired. I may have needs but there would be times that she would just be too worn out and I should carefully judge that.  Mother said, “it is a fine line son.  You don’t want to make her feel guilty that she is not pleasing you, but you also don’t want to make her think you don’t find her still desirable after her body changes from having the babies.  She is young and healthy and should bounce back quickly but you won’t be able to have relations with her for at least 6 weeks after the babies are born while she bleeds out.”  I was more worried about her bleeding than my “needs”.  If it got that bad I could deal with it myself.  But Mother seemed to know my line of thinking and said, “you can ask Tauriel for other ways to get relief from her. It may be a while before she starts to feel any sexual needs but there are ways with that as well for you to help her.”  “It is so weird having this conversation with you Mother. Talking to me like this, but you are the expert so I’m just grinning and going with it.”

 Tauriel felt the best in water. It made her back feel better and it was easier for her to breathe. So, we often spent time in the bath in our room.  It really was made for dwarven height, but it was just deep enough that Tauriel could get relief from the weight of the babies.  There were seats in it too, but more often than not she just liked to float on her back.  It stunned me every single time I looked at her how beautiful she was.  I could not stand in front of her and get my arms around her anymore, so I would stand next to her and she would put her arm around my shoulder and I would put my arm around her back and rub it a bit. Putting my other hand on her belly to see if the babies would move, which they almost always did.  I helped her out of the bath and dried her off and helped her into her dressing gown that she wore in our room.  We had most all our furniture custom made for Tauriel’s height.  Our bed was huge to me, but Mother assured me that once we had several children and they all had nightmares at the same time, they would be wanting to sleep with us. The bed would seem much smaller.  She spoke from experience.  Tauriel’s dressing table and looking glass were larger, as well as her wardrobe. 

Once we got in bed I began to rub the cream on her belly and sing, Tauriel laughed saying, “I don’t think these two ever sleep.  They wake me up at night with their antics.” As she said that one of the babies pushed a foot out so far, we could see the impression of its tiny foot on her belly.  I pushed back, and the baby pushed back against my finger.  We were playing!!  It gave Tauriel a fit of the giggles to have me and the baby do that.  She said, “if they are this active they are very healthy, and it should not be much longer Kíli.”  I told the two of them to let their mother get some sleep and it seemed as if they listened because they settled down. I then sang all three of my family to sleep.

In the morning as we were getting ready for the day, I asked Tauriel if it would be Ok to commission Ori to do a painting of us before the babies were born.  She looked at me kind of funny and asked why.  I was a little embarrassed to say it, but I just told her than in 6 thousand years I wanted to remember this moment in our lives.  She liked the idea after mulling it over and said, “perhaps we can get him to paint the babies as they grow as well.  Probably smaller pictures, if what Galadriel said is true and we are going to have a lot of children.  It would be very strange having hundreds of pictures of the children all over the walls.”  I cracked up as I pictured that in my mind.  “Yes, smaller ones we could put in an album would be much better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The birth of the dwelves is next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The little story of Kili and the baby playing really happened to me and my wife. My son was doing gymnastics and my wife was rubbing my belly trying to get him to settle down. He stopped moving and suddenly a foot pushed the side of my belly out! My wife pushed back and my son pushed back. They kept this up for a while and I was giggling the whole time. I had poly-hydramnios (google it) so my son had his own Olympic sized swimming pool in me. I literally looked like I was carrying three full-term babies I was so huge! I was a week late and was in Sam's club when a woman asked when I was due. I told last week. She looked startled and concerned and said, shouldn't you be in the hospital then? So in book 4 when I describe Tauriel, I am doing it from experience!


	6. The Birth!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwelves people! Dwelves!! Ok so we have to go through the whole birth to get them, but it's worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based a lot of this birth on my own son's. I was in labor naturally for 8 hours. I was doing all the things to try and help the pain. My son decided to be a pickle and was facing up toward the ceiling instead of the floor (Occiput or cephalic posterior position) this meant I was having back labor as well as front and not a split second between the two. The back would lead to the front and on and on. My wife and sister who was helping went to lunch (I had been up since 2 am- I had walked four blocks trying to make my son come out faster. I was a week late and had to be induced) I was hurting but dealing with it (I'm Irish German-for some screwy reason the women in my family going back generations have all been pain martyrs-I think masochists sounds better) but when my wife got back, I was screaming like a banshee and at the moment our eyes met mid-scream, I chewed a pillow in half. She came to me and I went for her throat. I squeezed and screamed and swore in every language I knew all while shaking her head nearly off. And it helped. But fearing brain damage, she said do you want the pain meds now. I did this scream/shriek/bellow thing and said, "GET ME A FUCKING ANESTHESIOLOGIST STAT OR SOMEONE DIES!" Then I burst into tears. The poor gal who came in and told me he was at lunch and had two women ahead of got a flower vase thrown at her (I bought her a necklace) My OB was not on call so I got a guy. I hate any man near my girl bits. I hade bile every time he touched me. we found out a year later he had been convicted of child molesting (lovely I now have had 2 child molesters between my legs) UGH! Molester man just kept saying I'll be back in an hour. I was hoarse from the screaming, so when the anesthesiologist got there I had no energy to do anything but what he told me. I figured once he killed the pain I would kill him for daring to eat while I was dying) he said tell me when the contraction stop so I can do this. Maniacal laughter ensued. My wife explains the double contractions and he just went for it. I had no clue what he was doing. He was shoving something up my spine. I only held still cause I didn't want to be paralyzed. He asked how does that feel I said like you're shoving a dried pea up my back. He laughed and said that's a new one. Then suddenly my belly tightened...but no pain! I asked, contraction, he smiled and said yep. I said oh my god! You are a god, I love you! He said yeah I get that a lot.  
> I forgot to tell you I had hydramnios. too much amniotic fluid very dangerous on so many levels. (my doc did not inform me) my water had never broken and 12 hours into labor, now nice and numb, a gal asked if it had broken and I said no. another gal came in with a huge crochet hook and rammed it up my vagina and suddenly she and the gal next to her shrieked and ran. I had literally soaked both of them from head to foot. The floor had a huge pool of water, I was soaked, my bed was soaked and my belly looked like a deflated balloon.  
> I had to have an emergency c-section as I was only dilated 4cm (not 10) and several other complications came up like my son swallowing the meconium (the first poo) and breathing it and he was starting to struggle. He was born at 11:58 pm With only 2 minutes to go he was born on my wife's birthday! I was born on my mom's 22nd, my brother and sister are twins, my father was an ass so we kicked him out of the club LOL There is so much more but it is a really long story. All in all, I got a beautiful crazy boy who looks so much like me but with my wife's gorgeous honey brown curls. He has gunmetal gray eyes. I have sapphire blue and my wife's I say are autumnal hazel. so many changing colors depending on her mood. People see my son and say, Your genetics whomped your wife's LOL

**July 2943**

 

**Tauriel’s POV-** We were on the last day of the 20 months I had marked as a due date for the babies.  It was all speculation of course as I really had no idea.  As the babies grew and I was able to check on them I could tell they were progressing at a regular rate and staying steady for the 20 months.  I had to make a lot of calculated guesses on the size and bone structure due to the two races blending but I was pretty sure I was on target.  I had been having small painless contractions for a month. The past week the contractions were different, still not painful but I had felt the babies drop. Dís said it was all normal, nothing I should be worried about.  I was so sure I was going to get through this whole birthing ordeal in a calm and demure manner.  I was not going to scream or threaten to kill Kíli.  I was a princess now, so I could handle this with no problem.

When Kíli and I went to bed my back was achy, I felt like I had cramps, and even though the contractions were not painful, they were much closer together.  The last thing I said to Kíli after we kissed and were snuggling was, “I have a feeling tomorrow is really going to be the day love.” “What should I do Tauriel? Should I get Mother?” “No, Mother said first-time births take a long time and I’m not in any pain, just uncomfortable and my back is achy.  It will probably happen in the middle of the night tomorrow. Mother says babies like to come at the most unreasonable hours.” “If you are sure…”  “I don’t know what we can do Kíli. I guess I will just try to sleep as much as I can, and we’ll see what happens.”  “Would you like me to rub your back?”  “That would be so nice. I hurt the most near my tailbone and a little above that. If you could use the heel of your hand to rub that I know it will feel better.”

Kíli did that I guess until I fell asleep. Because the next thing I knew, I was woken up knowing today was literally _the_ day I had marked. A contraction woke me up out of a sound sleep that made me feel like I was being split with a sword and my uterus was being wrung dry like a wet towel.  I cried out because it just hit out of the blue with no warning whatsoever.  Kíli must have shot three feet in the air and was trying to figure out what was going on when another contraction hit, and I yelled again ending in a kind of moaning groan that was not a nice sound.  Definitely not demure I can tell you. 

Now that I knew what was going on I began to breathe as Mother had shown me.  It did not help one bit as the next contraction threatened my sanity while I screamed! All I could think of was, ‘this is just the beginning’?!  Kíli was like, “what do you want me to do?”  In my mind, I thought, ‘I want to slap the spit out of you for getting me pregnant and making this happen’, but I just clamped my lips and made the horrible moaning sound again.  After it passed I yelled at him, “get Mother, now!!”  Why he did not just ring for someone to get her I have no idea, but he tore out of our hall leaving me alone with this pain.  I had to get up and move around, Mother had told me that.  She said the first babies always take the longest, so I would have to walk my way through the contractions.  

For some reason, which I could not fathom at the moment, I had just pictured myself in bed squeezing Kíli’s hand and moaning quietly, you know the whole demure thing.  When the next contraction hit it was the worst one so far. I screamed shrilly, grabbed my swollen belly, and said, “you two had better make this fast or so help me… I don’t know what!”  I tried to walk around but every contraction had me doubled over and by all that was holy, where was Kíli?! He was just going to get Mother, not go to lunch. He had been gone now for nearly half an hour. This was not going according to my plan at all. I found hanging onto the bedpost for dear life, while swearing in Khuzdul at the top of my lungs made me feel the best. Swearing in Sindarin just did not bring the same satisfaction as swearing like a dwarf.

I was getting really scared because another 15 minutes had gone by. Where on earth was everyone? I was starting to think I was going to have to do it all by myself when suddenly I felt my water break! I was soaked and standing in a pool of wet! I was now soaking wet and shivering on top of feeling gutted like a dead fish.  I let out an unholy scream and bit the bedpost to keep from screaming longer.  It was at that exact moment when a whole crowd showed up. Now I was wet, cold, tired, in agony, and mortified on top of everything else.  Kíli must have gotten half the mountain in here to watch me chew the bedpost and scream. With all the rest of the stuff happening around me I was confused and started to cry. 

Dwarrow dams were moving in fast forward all over my room getting things and doing things, but no one was even looking at me until I let out a shriek that should have broken off a chunk of the wall because I could feel a baby moving down and it was starting to come out. 

Kíli suddenly seemed to remember the whole point of all these dwarrow dams being here and came running over to me. He did not see the water on the stones, slid a good three feet with his arms flailing, before catching himself and trying to make it over to me, who was once again shrieking.  Carefully he and Mother tried to get me onto the bed, but I was having none of it.

I grabbed Kíli by the throat and squeezed for all I was worth as I screamed at him through my teeth, “ **THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!”**  He looked wounded and wheezed out in a tight voice, “how is it my fault?” I screamed at him, “ **BECAUSE YOU DON’T FEEL A THING AND I AM BEING SPLIT IN HALF BY YOUR DEMON SPAWN!!!!!!!”**

I began to shake him as hard as I could while shrieking through the next contraction. ‘My goodness’, I thought…. ‘it helps, it didn’t hurt as much while choking and shaking him’.  ‘OK,’ I thought, ‘I may kill my husband, but I can get through this.’ He said, “Tauriel, love, you're hurting me, darling.”  I looked him right in the eyes while shaking his head nearly off his shoulders and shrieked, “ **YOU ARE IMMORTAL KÍLI, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! THEN THE BABIES CAN BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE EACH AND EVERY TIME I KILL YOU!”**  

 I think I freaked everyone out with that. At that point, Mother took control of the situation and was pulling me over to the bed. I babbled, “I can’t walk! I think a head is hanging between my legs.”  She shouted to a few of the dwarrow dams and they hauled me up on the bed, unceremoniously ripped my night shift open for all the world to see and sure enough, Mother said, “you were right Tauriel! It’s a redhead, so now you need to push for all you are worth girl!” 

I tried to remember the way she had shown me how I would push through the contraction like I was having a bowel movement, or else I might push the wrong way. Ending up with bloodshot eyes that were black and blue.  Once I finished pushing, I began gasping for air. Mother ordered me to slow my breathing down or I would pass out from hyperventilating.  Another contraction ripped through me then, and I bore down with what little strength I had. Screaming again as I knew for sure this time I was literally being split in half.

Mother said, “we are at the shoulders, this is the hardest part after this it will be easy.” I shrieked at her, “but I’ll have to do it all over again!” Then began crying again, on top of everything else.  To no one, in particular, I said, “I am never doing this again!” To Kíli, I screamed, “ **KÍLI DURIN** **IF YOU EVER SO MUCH AS LOOK AT ME AGAIN I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!”**  

I felt the need to push again, so screaming at the top of my lungs, I gave it my all. How no one in Rivendell heard me I will never know.

Then… out slipped the baby! I could hear it cry so I just flopped back on the bed trying to breathe.  Mother ordered Kíli to get me as many pillows as he could to prop me up. He needed to hold my hand and talk to me while I was still sane.  The sheer terror in my poor husband’s eyes and how he looked at mother like, ‘you want me to come within reaching distance of that crazy woman?’, was so comical I began to laugh hysterically at him while I was still crying.  At the same time, I was apologizing up and down saying, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Suddenly, Mother shouted, “it’s a girl!”  I felt so much love thinking, Kíliel, I have a daughter, Kíliel.  I think Kíli felt it was safe to help me. He pulled me up and began to cram pillow after pillow behind me until I told him enough and to get me our daughter I wanted to see her.  He looked at Mother who held up a bundle. He went to her, gently taking Kíliel from Mother he brought her to me. 

I cradled her in my arms as Kíli touched her cheek. Kíliel was quick to grasp his finger. 

Now I understood.

All the pain meant nothing if this was the end result.  She squeaked and make a whole bunch of cute noises. I reached out to her with my mind, telling her how much I loved her. Kíli was there with me as she just clamped onto our minds sending back so much love and happiness to finally be out! 

I arched my back and grunted as a contraction hit me again. Kíli was quicker than lightning to grab Kíliel, handing her off to someone. I reached around and grabbed a pillow and bit the thing to keep from screaming, now that I knew what was going on, and had had a moment to regain my sanity.  Mother coached me to push through the contraction again.  Kíli held my hand as I bit the pillow. Screaming into it as I pushed for all I was worth.  After the contraction Mother told me I had to get rid of the pillow because I was not breathing right, to be able to push right. 

Kíli soothed me saying, “I’m right here Tauriel. You can do this love, you can. I am so sorry it hurts like this, but just remember it’s Kílian next.  Focus on holding him.”  I cried, garbling sounds that had no meaning other than I was in agony and pushed through another contraction exhaling as I pushed. I felt Kílian move slowly out. Mother announced, “another redhead!” Kíli and I both laughed.  Unfortunately, that did not last long as the shoulders were next. I could not breathe, I could only shriek again. I heard Kíli groan as I was crushing his hand.  Good thing he was a dwarf because if he was human, I think I would have broken it. 

Once that pain passed I flopped back again and just bawled, it hurt _so_ much.  Kíli put his head to mine and said, “I love you so much, _amrâlimê_.”  I could only grunt as Mother said, “you have to be ready to push Tauriel when you have the next contraction.”  I wailed, “do I have to?!” She firmly said, “if I am going to have grandbabies you have to push!”  I gave it my all, but I was running out of energy fast as I pushed until I felt frozen in that position. 

She said, “the shoulders are coming through dear.” I was fully aware the shoulders were coming through! I was wailing and chanting, “oh gods, oh gods, oh gods.”  I howled through the next contraction and bore down determined this was going to be the last push.  Mother must have tugged a little because I heard her say, “It’s a boy.”  I sent all my love to him and said, “Kílian, my bestest baby boy.”  He clamped onto my mind and wanted me so bad he started crying as mother cleaned him up. 

Kíli brought him to me. I looked into his eyes as he sent to me he was so happy now.  I just touched his cheek and nose, laughing at him making his little noises.  Mother said, “Kíli, hand the baby to Dwarma and be ready to help Tauriel get the placenta out.”  He handed Kílian off, but my goodness, Kílian was not very happy about it, and he let the world know it! That set Kíliel off because she needed to protect her brother.  It was so cute but the sudden urge to push was too much. I looked at Kíli who was looking at what was coming out. A huge bloody mess pushed out. My poor Kíli had to turn his head and dry heaved a few times. 

Mother said, “you are done, children.  Now let’s get you cleaned up and ready to feed the babies.” I panted, “How long did it take to have them?” Mother said, “well, I’ve been here an hour.” I thought to myself, ‘it took Kíli about an hour to get Mother, plus or minus the time he was here before he left.’ “Mother, it only took two hours to have them!”  Mother was shocked. “You only labored an hour before I came? My goodness, I’ve never heard of a first-time birth being so fast! I have no idea why, but Tauriel, I wouldn’t complain, and you should consider yourself lucky. I know you hurt more than you probably ever have, but darling you could have been in labor all day before the birth.  All in all, I’d say this went smoothly.”

Kíli looked like a mixture of green and white splotches on his face as he tried to forget what he had just seen. He and mother helped me over to the bathroom.  It was a very wet lesson let me tell you.  Getting a bloody night shift off of me. Mother and Kíli getting soaked trying to hold me up and wash me off.  I had blood in my hair as well as everywhere else you could think.  My legs could not hold me, so I had to lean on both of them as they tried to wash me. Finally, Mother had to call some of the other dwarrow dams in to help them.  I could care less who saw me at this point, I just wanted to lay down with my babies and sleep for a month.  Once they got me dried off, mother put the bleeding panties on me and a new shift that I could open and nurse with. The bleeding panties were different than my shorts. Much tighter to me to help hold the padding close to me. There was hardly any material at all, nothing came down my legs, it just was held snug to my crotch through the ties on the sides of both legs and the one at my waist. They were made of a cotton and hemp blend to wash easy.

The floor I did notice was wet but in a mopped-up fashion not a water broke fashion.  The sheets on the bed were all fresh. The bed looked deliciously soft and inviting.  Pillows and a backrest were set up for me and Kíli. I had three dwarrow dams help me get into bed, as it was an elf size bed, not dwarf.  Kíli helped scoot me over and get my nightdress set right.  My hair was loosely wrapped in a towel and while Mother got the babies, he helped to dry it a little bit more.  I said, “pull it off my head, so they recognize me.”  Mother gave me Kíliel, and Kíli, Kílian.

There was no other world but the four of us. We studied them, and they studied us, we loved them and were just amazed by them.  They were just as curious about us seeing our faces, almost like they were memorizing us.  Kílian loved being against Kíli’s skin because it smelled so nice, like me.  I opened my shift, laying Kíliel against my skin making her happy too, now that she could see and smell me. 

She started to fuss a little, speaking to my mind she was hungry, or at least I knew that was what she wanted. I told her it was hunger and I would feed her in a moment.  Mother was right there, crying and beaming at us. I asked, “how do I feed them at the same time?”  She had me open my shift and she got extra pillows to put under my arms. She took Kíliel and put her under my arm. Then faced her to my breast and told me to rub the nipple against her mouth till she got the idea.  Kíliel was quick and soon was nursing happily. We did the same with Kílian only Kíli had to help with my breast on that side because Kílian didn’t quite get it. Mother said, “express some milk out and let him taste it that should do the trick.”  Sure enough, he latched on was happily having breakfast. 

I will never be able to explain fully how deep-down, bone weary I was. I was so exhausted, I didn’t know if I would even be able to sleep. I just kept thinking, ‘I’m so tired and I hurt so much still’.  I asked Mother, “how long am I going to feel the pain between my legs from being stretched out so far?” She said, “a few days at most, but probably just today will be the worst. I will get something cold for down there to help with that.”  Kíliel finished. Mother took her to show us how to burp her and Kílian from now on.  She put the cloth over her shoulder and with pats that surprised me how firmly she patted Kíliel, a sudden burp was heard followed by a sense of happy and sleepy filled my mind.  Kílian finished then and I said, “let me try.” Mother said, “let Kíli do this one.  He can burp them the next few times and just let you rest.  You will have plenty of time to get the hang of it, my dear.”  Kíli held his son as Mother put a cloth on his shoulder. He started patting, only much gentler. Mother corrected Kíli saying, “no Kíli, you have to be firm and steady or they will not burp. It will turn into tummy gas and then the crying will never stop.”  Kíli was like, “it doesn’t hurt him?”  Mother asked, “is he crying?”  “Uh, no.” “Well, son then you are doing it right.” Kílian chose that exact moment to reward his Pappa with a nice loud burp. To which we all laughed.  Again, the contentment and sleepiness filled our minds. Mother brought over the bassinette with Kíliel and set Kílian in it with her and covered them. 

She said, “If they are like every other baby, they will wake about every two hours or so. You will change them, feed them, burp them, set them down to sleep, and repeat.  I have no idea how long these two will nurse for, we shall just have to see.  Would you like me to rest on the couch and see you through a few more times?”  Kíli blurted out, “Yes please!,” before I could say no.  He knew me too well.

Mother said, “then quickly get as much sleep as you can and be ready for your wakeup call at dawn.”

**Kíli’s POV-** I had never really seen, or I guess noticed, a pregnant female before because Tauriel was enormous to me. I had no clue how she was able to stand up and not fall over. I honestly felt females were far braver than males, a thought I would carry with me forever as she had child after child.

Tauriel was getting a bit snarky as the due date got closer, but I was not upset at her one bit. Her back ached all the time, she had heartburn so bad she was mixing sodium bicarbonate with water and drinking it, or ginger tea and the one that she hated but helped the most was sipping cider vinegar.

When she told me mild contractions had started I dragged her to see Mother. Mother said everything was perfectly normal but when she asked Tauriel if the babies had dropped yet and Tauriel said they had…I almost passed out! “What do you mean they dropped?!” “It simply means they are now in a lower position in Tauriel’s uterus and are ready for the birth.” “So, it’s going to happen soon?” “I really think Tauriel has the right of it Kíli and she has about a week or so to go. Her contractions will get closer together but not be painful. That will be your clue it is going to happen any time.”

“You have no swelling of your legs or hands which surprises me quite a bit, but I will not complain. Less is more in many cases with pregnancy. I do want you to slow down though my dear. I know you are very used to being active but now is the time to rest. Make sure you stretch and do move around but Kíli, you should take over the brunt of everything else, even if Tauriel has to talk you through it.”

“Oh, and smaller meals, more often will help with the heartburn. Just don’t lie flat, try reclining with your feet up and see if that helps a bit.”

Tauriel was exhausted after walking all the way to Mother’s hall and back so I helped her into a “not too hot” bath, as Tauriel called them. She soaked until I had to wake her up, she had fallen asleep floating. I got her dried off, put the padded band around her breasts so the leaking would not bother her, and she just pulled on one of my old tunics and was out like an elf light. I lay there next to her the whole time wondering how much longer and how would our lives change?

It had been a week since we had seen Mother and Tauriel told me the contractions were coming much faster. As we readied for bed, she was confident in her speculations and said if not tonight then tomorrow night. I held her close and rubbed her back for her. It was hurting her so much she couldn’t get comfortable or fall asleep. It did the trick because in no time she was sound asleep.  I didn’t tell her, but she had the cutest snore since she had gotten along in her pregnancy. Kind of a purr and snort thing.  I fell asleep to the sound of it, totally use to it by now.

I wasn’t awake, but something had me shooting straight up out of bed looking for my sword. I realized it was Tauriel when I heard her cry out and make a horrible groaning sound. I was trying to get my scrambled wits together when she screamed again! Once she started breathing funny I realized she was having the babies, and I had no clue what to do!  “What do you want me to do Tauriel?!” The look she gave me should have warned me of things to come because she looked very dangerous and very mad. She started to scream again but managed to garble out, “Go get Mother!”

Mother. Ok. I took off at full speed hearing Tauriel start screaming again. I was running for all I was worth thinking, Mother…Mother…Mother.  I realized I was so freaked out, I had no clue where Mother lived! My brain was completely blank on where my own mother lived! Tauriel was going to kill me!

I was half running, in a complete panic mode when I literally ran into a night guard. He was not too happy until he saw who it was that tackled him. I think the look on my face and me babbling,   “Babies. Mother. Help!” I was so clueless at that point. He helped me up and hauled me to Mother’s front door and stood with me while I banged on the door with both fists shouting for her.

She looked rather rumpled and worried. “Is it time Kíli?” “Time for what?” I responded stupidly. “Kíli. Please tell me you are not going to be one of those fathers!” The guard helped me out, “Princess I do believe Prince Kíli’s babes are coming into the world tonight and he is a bit fluster and perhaps overexcited about the blessed event.” “Oh, Mahal! Kíli, seriously?!” She gave the guard a ton of orders and he bolted. I was still staring at Mother. “Kíli, I think you should stay here even though I know Tauriel needs you. I am afraid you will get lost or something. I am going to ring for some help, the guard is getting me supplies and then we will go to Tauriel.”

I had no grasp of time. It seemed like I was gone forever and Tauriel was going have the babies alone in which case someone needed to start planning my funeral, or I had just gotten there. The longer I stood there, the more I worried and began to beg Mother that we had to get back. She tried to calm me down and tell me that the first birth always takes the longest so Tauriel may be put out with me, but she would be fine. I wasn’t about to argue but I didn’t think that was the case.

Suddenly a horde of Dwarrow Dams was flocked around Mother and she was organizing, then suddenly en masse, we all took off for home. This time I knew where I was going so I was at the head of the pack trying to get home as fast as I could. Dwarves are amazing sprinters and I was going all out. As I ran into the house, the screams sounded more like a cross between a death scream and a dwarven battle cry. I was terrified!

I had no choice but to move as the herd of Dwarrow Dams forced me into the bedroom. My poor Tauriel!

Oh, Gods, she was going to kill me!

She was hanging on the bedpost and chewing on it while she was screaming! She was soaked and bloody and crying and I was a dead dwarf walking.

I honestly tried to get to her, really! But every time I made to move I was nearly run over by someone! I finally bolted to her, never saw the wet floor and flailing my arms for all I was worth, so I didn’t land on my arse, I managed to stop. Turn. Get over to her all in one motion. Worst. Mistake. Of. My. Life!

Mother and I tried to get her to the bed, but she attacked me! It was hopeless to reason with her. I was pretty sure she had lost her mind when she said she was going to keep murdering me and having the babies bring me back to murder me some more. Then…she started to try to remove my head from my shoulders through squeezing my throat and whipping my head off by shaking me.

The scariest part was before she announced my impending doom. She was choking me, screaming, and suddenly she smiled a deranged grin. Then proceeded to try and kill me.

Mother saved my life that morning. She used her “Mother Voice”, to get through to Tauriel that she had to get onto the bed. Tauriel let go of me and began crying she couldn’t because a baby was hanging between her legs!  I suddenly was shoved out of the way by several Dwarrow Dams who, helping Mother got her on the bed and stripped. I could tell she was not happy about that at all with the way she cringed.

My survival instincts had me cowering against the wall while watching my wife do the impossible. Every scream broke my heart. It was so unfair that she had to suffer like this just to have a baby. Suddenly a high-pitched squeaky wail came through loud and clear! Mother was shouting at me that I had to help Tauriel, now that she was sane again. Sane?!? I looked at mother like, ‘you want me to come within reaching distance of that crazy woman?!’ ‘The one who almost killed your own son?!’

Suddenly Tauriel began to laugh hysterically at me while she was still crying.  At the same time, she started apologizing up and down saying, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me!”  I think if I had said anything, she would have found a way to get off the bed and kill me.  Mother shouted out with joy, “It’s a girl!” Just like that the crazy woman became the most angelic looking mother ever. I moved over to her carefully and began to stuff every pillow I could get my hands on behind her. She fussed at me to stop and go get our daughter, she wanted to see Kíliel.

I looked at Mother who held up a bundle. I went to her, gently taking Kíliel from Mother, I brought her to Tauriel. 

She cradled her in her arms as I touched her cheek. Kíliel was quick to grasp my finger.  This little dwelf stole my heart so fast I hardly knew it. My sweet darling princess with the flaming hair and squinty eyes, who was making baby sounds that melted my heart. She was the culmination of Tauriel’s and my love. Her mind was suddenly locked onto mine and her love for us was the most precious thing.

Tauriel suddenly grunted and arched her back. I grabbed Kíliel as quick as I could, handing her off to someone, so I could be there for Tauriel in helping her bring Kílian into the world.  If there had been any kind of magic that would have transferred her suffering to me I would have done it in a heartbeat, no second thoughts! But I knew deep inside, what she was going through, I would never survive. It would kill me. Somehow the gods had blessed females to endure this, over and over.

I just encouraged her and told her how much I loved her. I didn’t know if my bow hand would ever work again, but if it helped her then I would make that sacrifice for her. I just tried to groan as quietly as I could until mother shouted, “It’s a boy!”  Once Kílian was tidied up I took him from Mother and handed him to Tauriel. He only had eyes for her as his mind clicked with ours. He had her eyes and hair. Tauriel laughed softly at the noises he was making. The moment was broken when Mother said, “Kíli, hand the baby to Dwarma and be ready to help Tauriel get the placenta out.” 

I handed Kílian off, but my goodness, he was fit to be tied being taken from Tauriel and let out an ear-piercing wail that set Kíliel off. I couldn’t pay them any more attention as Tauriel was already starting to bear down and push. I looked to see just what was left to come out of her.

OH! MAHAL! I only saw “it” for a split second before I had to turn and dry heave a few times. I was never going to forget that, unfortunately. It was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen and after the Battle of the Five Armies and all I had not wanted to see there, that battle was a walk in the gardens! The “Thing” just kind of oozed out of her like it was alive. UGH! Never, ever again would I look! I had my hands on my knees, bent over, trying to breathe when Mother shouted at me. I have no idea if anyone had been talking to me, I was so sick.

Now it was time to get Tauriel cleaned up and back to rest. Only five minutes in and I was already making plans for a stool or chair for Tauriel to sit on as well as more people to help. Tauriel was a mess and slippery and her legs weren’t working. If it hadn’t been such a disaster I would have laughed my head off. Both Mother and I were as wet as Tauriel and having her dead weight hanging over my shoulder as I was bending to wash her was going to give me a permanent crick in my back. Mother finally shouted for help and things went a tad bit better, barely.

Somehow we eventually both ended up dry and in new clothes. The bleeding panties as Mother called them were actually rather sexy on her, but I didn’t have any time for that kind of thinking as I settled Tauriel in and helped dry her hair and then…it was just the four of us. The rest of the world was gone. I held Kílian and Tauriel held Kíliel. I chuckled, now that her eyes were open as they both studied us, that she had my brown eyes that Tauriel loved so much.

I snuggled Kílian on my bare chest, he sighed in contentment as he smelled me and Tauriel on my skin. Tauriel heard that in her mind and did the same with Kíliel. She loved it too but fussed she was hungry. I was amazed at Kíliel’s mental powers and then Kílian’s as he made us aware of the same desire.

Neither one of us knew how to feed two babies at once. Mother rescued us yet again. Showing us how to feed and burp them, then volunteering to stay for a few more hours. I knew Tauriel would say no when Mother offered so I just blurted out a fast yes. Tauriel’s wrinkled up nose and arched eyebrow as she looked at me were so cute.

With the babies asleep, we all followed suit. As I was drifting off I realized everyone but mother, had left and after all the insanity that had just happened, I actually felt peaceful. I had a wife who it looked hopeful,  would let me live, and that she loved me despite all my faults. Plus, we were now officially a Mamma and Pappa. Our children were outside in the world and life would never be the same. Uncle Thorin was right. I had never felt this kind of love before. It was good!

_________________________________________________________________

 

**Tauriel’s POV-** “Tauriel, you look radiant my dear.”  “Thank you so much, Thorin.”  “Congratulation Kíli.” “Thank you, Uncle Thorin.”  “Now, let me see these two rascals that have been causing so much mischief.”  Thorin sat in a comfortable chair as Kíli handed him one and then the other twin.  Thorin said, “well hello you two, Uh Kíli, which one is which here?” “Oh, sorry uncle. This one is Kíliel and this one is Kílian.”  “Hmm hard to tell that right now. I guess until you see the plumbing,” he chuckled, and we laugh as well.

He sat quietly looking at them. When he looked up he had tears running down his face.  Both of us felt it too.  The twins even though they looked like they were sleeping had just bonded with Thorin and shown him how happy they were to be held by him and how much they loved him.  For a man who has lost so much in his life and kept his heart well-guarded, there was no protection he could use against these two.  He completely and utterly loved them back.

He said to us, “oh I can tell already, you both are going to have your hands full with these two.  I fully expect to be able to babysit them, so I can spoil them rotten and then give them back to you.”  Kíli wryly said, “Thanks, Uncle Thorin.”  I was in a fit of the giggles.  “I can’t wait to see them crawling all over you, begging for a pony ride,” I said to Thorin.  “Well by then I can just tell them I am too old for that and bounce them on my knee.  Any ideas on how they will age?”  “Nope, it will be a wait and see trial run for the rest of the children.”  Thorin looked at the babies and said, “did you just hear your mother?  She says you two are test subjects,” and he laughed again.  One of the babies started making squeaky noises and Thorin said, “I do believe Kílian has told me to give him to his mother as he wants his lunch.”  As Kíli came over to take Kílian, Kíliel chimed in with a few squeaks of her own.  Thorin said, “and that is my cue to leave you for now.”  Kíli chuckled and we both thanked Thorin for visiting.  The last thing he said was, “when you are ready I want to spend as much time as I can muster with them.  Fíli will be taking on a few more things to get ready for when I step down. So, I hope to have more time on my hands.  Alright, I have to go before these two get any hungrier.  They are making me hungry for Mahal’s sake.” 

**Kíli’s POV** \- Mother had finally left us on our own. We were both a bit nervous but Mother reminded us she was only a ring away. The look the two females gave me could have killed. I sighed, “Am I ever going to live down ‘first-time father syndrome’?” “NO!” Was the dual reply. I was not fully awake, Tauriel was screaming and had said, “Go  _GET_ Mother.” Not, ‘ring for Mother.’ So…With the elven bell system (that made the post system look like child’s play. Magic- can’t live without it) we had Mother, ‘on call.’

I took full responsibility for diapers because it was so hard for Tauriel to get out of bed. I had gotten pretty good at it and was rather proud of myself…until… ‘The Black Poo’ diapers! Both babies had this thick nasty black gooey ‘stuff’ stuck everywhere! All up their fronts, down their backs, on the sheets and blankets. It didn’t smell like anything, but it was disgusting looking. “Uh, love?” “What’s wrong Kíli?” “Is their poo suppose to be…black tar?” I could hear her sigh in relief, so I guess _she_ knew this was coming. “Yes, Kíli. The first several poos Mother told me were going to be very strange in color and smell.” “How do I get this stuff off them? It really is like tar.”

“Here you’re going to need help with this.” Tauriel got some white powdery stuff and mixed it with warm water until it foamed. She took a soft rag and got it soaking wet and handed it to me, she got one for herself as well. “Elbow grease love.” She said as she just wiped and wiped. It seemed to take forever to get it off the twins. Poor Kíliel had it in between her girl place and Kílian had it in his foreskin so both of them were a mess. Tauriel said, “it’s not got germs so no worries about urinary infections.” She showed me how to wipe Kíliel properly from front to back. I showed her how to clean the foreskin and make sure his penis was pointed down in the diaper or the poor boy would always be soaked.

Although no one thought to warn Tauriel about the main danger of changing diapers on baby boys.  I heard her scream and ran into the nursery. I was laughing my head off at her. Seeing her shocked look and her wet face and shirt.  She growled at me, “just wait till I get Kílian put down for his nap Mister, you are in so much trouble it’s gonna hurt!”  “Me?” I laughed, “why didn’t you just ask Mother?”  “What was I supposed to ask her smart guy?  I didn’t know _this_ happens. I have never been around babies before. He’s never done it to you! How was I supposed to know he’d do _that_ to me?”  “Well you do now,” I said.  “You are so in for it Kíli Durin!”  “Oh gods my whole name, I’m hiding while I still can.”   **“KÍLI!! I WILL HUNT YOU, I WILL FIND YOU, AND I WILL KILL YOU!!”** She shrieked as I ran away laughing to tell Mother all about this.

I was back on full-time diaper duty again for a week before she forgave me, but it was worth it.  She could laugh about it now, but boy was she miffed at me once she found me at Mother’s.  Mother saved my hide that day by telling Tauriel similar stories about her and Thorin having the same problem with me.  Fíli behaved himself.  I, on the other hand, seemed to wait for any opportunity that someone was not paying attention and got them.  Mother had her laughing so hard she forgot she wanted to kill me. As we walked home Tauriel swatted me on the back of the head. I yelped, “what was that for?”  She just smirked and said, “a lifetime of poor hygiene habits.”  I cracked up.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there will be soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much cool stuff in chapter 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
> 
> But hey, do you have a crazy, funny, wacky, weird birth story? My own birth was the end of one of the hottest July's on record, the hospital I was born at didn't have a/c so my poor mom labored forever (at least most of it was at night, I was born at 4:30 am). One thing that really stuck out in her mind was for a good part of her labor she had a visitor outside her window getting a full show. The hospital was under construction so a dude on one of those window washing things was working outside her window and all she could hear was saws screaming as they cut stuff and a lot of other construction noise. There were no private birthing suites like today so she had three other moms screaming with her. Oh and she loves to tell me about the 21 stitches she got because I was almost 9 pounds. My son was 9 lbs 12 oz of pure solid muscle. no baby fat anywhere on that kid. He was 10 pounds with clothes and a wet diaper and having a C-section they told me to not pick up anything 10 pounds and up!  
> Uh, my kid is almost 10 pounds people. Lucky Tauriel, she never got postpartum either. I just could not do that to her. I had it so bad I ended up in the R-wing (part of it was due to 9/11-exactly 2 weeks after my son was born I watch it live. That made me snap.) Took me three months of meds and therapy to finally get better. 
> 
> Any father's out there "one of those father's" My wife was great, kept a cool head the whole time, internally she was freaking out but didn't let me know it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> making more dwelves, the twins are 4 months old. Next chapter I will give greater detail on birth to 4 months of how the twins grow and change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow! It has been 10 days since my last update. My bad! See what happened was I got some excellent advice from a reader that had me make a lot of changes. Still the same story but it's more interaction instead of just POV's. I really want you to get to know the Durins who live in my head (which may or may not be different from your Durins) and help me write this. We all had a little chat and this is the end product of that. Tell me what you think, or if you can even tell there is a difference.
> 
> I hope you can understand Kiliel's baby talk. If it too over the top, I can tone it down a bit. Your call, let me know. She won't be doing it for very much longer as dwelves grow so fast.
> 
> I am working on the "new and improved" part 2 feverishly, but I kind of sort of got shingles...AGAIN!! I had them 6 years ago at 42 and now I have them again at 48. And you can't get the vaccine until you are..........50!!! Life sucks sometimes. So in between the itching, burning and muscle aches as well as sudden blinding headaches, I am plugging away. 
> 
> Not knowing I was going to get shingles, I kind of entered a contest, have a paperback book due by December 1st and I may have to beg for more time from a few folks who gave me plot bunnies to work on. I think I may be a tad over my head LOL But life goes on, eh?
> 
> Let me know what you think!

**Nov 2943**

**Tauriel’s POV** \- “Kíli, I’ve been so busy with the twins, and with Thorin needing you so much lately, well, I was kind of wondering…” I was laying on my back in bed but looking over at Kíli. Kíli had the duvet covered with parchment, tons of parchment. Everywhere. He was grumbling and grousing under his breath as he read, re-read, and then signed some papers or scratched things off others. He would scribble furiously almost putting a hole in the parchment (and that’s saying something when you write in runes!) before he tossed it over the edge of the bed to the floor, then folded his arms like a petulant child and growled…there may have been a snort too; it was hard to tell over the growl. 

He had been like this off and on for over a month. I supported him and helped every way I could, but sometimes, like now, he was just in his own world of frustration. It was all legal work, such as trade treaties, complaint reports that Dwalin needed a royal signature on, or ridiculous things that left me clueless why Kíli was doing all of this. I was sure Thorin must have other dwarves who could handle these types of things.

I tried again by just touching his arm. He flinched and almost pulled away before it dawned on him it was me. “I am _so_ sorry my love! I-I didn’t mean that at all!” “I know Kíli. I’m not upset.” He looked at the mound of parchment, growled again, let out an explosive cuss while pushing everything to the floor. He then practically dove into my arms for a hug when he finished!

I held him close. First I started playing with his hair, then softly scratching his back. After a moment I got a soft grunt and a sigh of pleasure from him. I felt him relax into me more as he took several deep breathes, held them, then let them out warming my chest up quite a bit. I chuckled at getting my breasts steam cleaned. I heard an irritated, muffled, “WHAT!?” from between my cleavage which made me giggle even more. He rolled over on his side and gave me the stink eye. “Sorry Kíli, but you were going to shrink my breasts with that much breath and hot air.” I had to bite my cheek so hard to keep a straight face as he tried to decide if he had just been insulted or if I was trying to get him to laugh. His look was so confused and cute, I snorted. That got me the look of death. I pulled my lips in and bit them too.

I kept thinking, ‘come on Kíli, say or do something before I explode from the giggles’. Suddenly he snorted too, then just busted up. I was laughing so hard I had to hold my sides which made him “insulted”, so I think he deemed tickle torture was sufficient for my crime of laughing at him. That got us both wrestling. In moments we had kicked the covers off the bed and it was all out. He loved this and it was helping him blow off a little steam. Having been a guard for 500 years I knew a lot of tricks in hand to hand combat. That thought made me laugh all over again as I flipped him with a leg cross. Being married to me for several years, he knew all my moves and was ready to grab me as soon as he hit the bed and the little cheater knew he’d never win, so he pinned me and began to slowly, from chin to forehead…lick me with as much spit as he could get on his tongue. 

I screamed, he was roaring with laughter, and we were both breathing like bellows. “Dry my face off this instant _zu khuzd allâkhul,” (Stupid dwarf-like saying, “You goofball”)_ I laughed.  “Not until you apologize,” He said as he smirked at me. “Apologize? For what?” “For insulting the honor of a royal Ereborian prince,” he tried so hard to look serious but failed adorably. “Ooooh, is that how it’s gonna be huh?” “Yep!” I was never going to be as good as any dwarf, but I could now do it without feeling like I had brain damage and get a goose egg on my noggin…I gave him a punishing headbutt. With dwarves having heads as hard as the rocks they mined (inside and out) I barely moved his head. But he was sweet enough to laugh and softly say, “ouch.”

He immediately grabbed a pillow and began to rub my face dry. I was squalling that he was suffocating me while I was laughing at him at the same time. When my face was mostly dry, he looked down at me with those gorgeous sable brown eyes that melt my heart and said, “ _Azralizu Tauriel!”-_ _I want you Tauriel._ He moved down to kiss me, but he kissed my forehead first. “You really don’t have a hard-enough head to do that _badgûna.”  My One._ Then he claimed my lips. A whisper-soft touch at first, then deeper. He slid his body to cover mine and I felt his need against me. That lit the flame in me. Rolling to our sides we divested each other of our night clothes. Kíli knew my body so well by now it was easy for him to arouse me quickly and not leave me wanting. I never tired of the soft feel of his body hair, I absolutely loved it and he loved me running my nails through it.

I wrapped my legs around his waist. Whispered passionately in his ear, “Make love to me Kíli.” He was more than ready and more than happy to oblige me. He filled not only my body but my heart and soul as well. He always put everything he was into making love to me. How to touch me, talk to me. How to make my body feel the utmost pleasure it ever could, I returned that love as he was my One. I was able to give him as much (he said I gave him more, and that was why we had to make love so much, so he could become better than me) of the mental, physical, and emotional needs that he craved from me.

Lovemaking, a quickie, a hard fuck, it all was with a deep need to please the other in all ways possible. Sometimes we said very little, other times when our bodies make weird noises we’d laugh, or like tonight get rough, then soft and gentle.

“Kíli more, I need more of you,” I moaned to him. His thrusting became faster and harder as he snuggled his face next to mine, whispering arousing things to me until we both were so close we couldn’t talk. When mine hit me, it was beautiful! I grabbed the railings at the head of the bed arched into the orgasm and screamed his name. He was right behind me. He shook and held me tight as he released into me. The heat inside made me orgasm again. He groaned from how tight I was clamped around him as he rutted through the last of his orgasm until he collapsed on me.

I loved this moment. We both felt completely sated sexually, but also just listening to our breathing slow, feeling our heartbeats slow and gradually as the afterglow softened, Kíli pulled out from me only to embrace me tightly. “Gods I am so in love with woman. How do you do it Tauriel?” “Hmmm, do what darling?” I asked in a lazy, languid kind of way.  “What magic do you use to take me from nearly ready to strangle some dwarf who has no clue what he is writing and wants me to give my OK on something that means nothing, to now I am so relaxed the mountain could fall on us and my only thought would be we are together?” “Well, I certainly hope the mountain never falls on us,” I laughed, “I want to enjoy forever with you, as much as you do with me. But, as I have always said, ‘it is the pure love we have for each other, not elven magic’, that’s what keeps us from arguing or having a hurtful misunderstanding. We talk, we communicate. We never hide anything from each other.”

“Well, to me, that’s magic.” “If you say so darling.” “I do.” I kissed him long and hard from that. “So _amrâlimê_ , before all our exercise I think you were trying to get my attention?” “Oh, Mahal Kíli.” I shook my head. “Yes, I had wanted to ask you a question but in the mood you were in, it wasn’t the right time.” “Is now the right time?” “Are you relaxed, and do you have an open mind?” “That’s a weird question Tauriel.” “Well, it’s been 4 months since Kíliel and Kílian were born. I am fully recovered and feel fine…so, do you want to start the second set of twins?”

He stared at me for a long time, making me nervous. Then just busted out the biggest grin. “Oh, love. I am so ready. I want to meet the next babies we made on our wedding night. When would you do it, release them I mean?” “I can do it right this moment if you want. There is nothing stopping me. I just want us both to be ready.” “I know you are, or you wouldn’t be asking, and as I said, I am more than ready. What do you need to do?”  I snuggled close to him and rested my face on his shoulder, softly rubbing his chest. “I just need you to hold me, love me, and in about half an hour they will start growing. Then in 20 months, we will have two more dwelves to love and cherish.” “Let me look in your eyes as you do, Tauriel.” I moved up on my elbow, cupped his face and kissed him slowly. I took his hand and put it on my bare belly. “They are released, Kíli,” I said as I took in the wonderment on his face. A face that was everything to me. “Oh, Tauriel. I am the luckiest dwarf to ever walk middle earth to have you as my wife, for the privilege to be your husband and for the blessings of the children you bring into this world.” He had me in tears, happy tears, but I was crying.

“Gayadê _._ _Mamahmarlûn,_ _mênu tessu!!”  My joy. He who has been made love to, you are my everything!!_ After a declaration like that, we just held each other and like silly youth, stared into each other’s eyes and simply loved each other. I was starting to feel sleepy when the familiar vibration started. I had looked down, so when I looked back up, the anticipation on Kíli’s face was perfect. “They are growing, Kíli. Our babies are growing and will be here in 20 months!” He grabbed me in a bear hug and rocked me back and forth. Between laughing and crying we both were completely exhausted now. It blew both our minds when we felt the babies joy and love for us, in our hearts and minds, so soon after they had begun to grow. Even as excited as we both were, my last memory before falling asleep was Kíli touching my belly, then kissing me, whispering, “ _Amadel.”  Mother of all mothers._

______________________________________________

We were woken up in the morning by two energetic toddlers banging on our door. We had to laugh “Just think Kíli, in twenty months we will have these two waking us up early and two more waking us up all night.” “At least they outgrow that phase fast, thank Mahal!”  I grabbed my night shift from the top of my looking glass (how had Kíli thrown it up there last night?!) and wiggled into it, then quickly opened the door as the knocking was getting more persistent.  “Good morning you two! What has you so excited today?” “Mamma I felt the new babies and heard them! They are awake in you now, huh?” Kílian blurted out. “Uhm, yes sweetie, actually they are. How can you tell?” I had picked him and Kíliel up and they scrambled up to Kíli and snuggled with him as I crawled back in bed.

Kíliel chimed in with a cheerful, “I’m be a big sizzer nowz! I can teach deh babeez stuffs an pway wid dem too!” Kíliel was more dwarf in this even though she chattered on all the time. Kílian was more elf. Even though he didn’t speak a lot when he did it was very articulate and clearly easy to understand. I think at this point it was because Kílian listened to adults talking and our thoughts much more. Whereas Kíliel was in her own world and her chatter kind of blocked us out. She would catch up I was sure of it.

Their mind speech was stronger and clearer all the time. Kíliel was right now trying to get the embryos to talk to her, but all she was getting was so much love from them to her, Kílian and both Kíli and I. The twins laid their heads on my belly and sent so much love back to the new little ones in me, while rubbing my belly. Kíli and I could feel all four of the children’s emotions. I was so ready to burst into tears of joy.

Kíli snuggled closer to me and rested against my shoulder with his arm around me. “Tauriel, it’s OK. This is so wonderful _amrâlimê,_ to be a little a little family like this. I am so happy right now love.” “I am too Kíli.” He leaned up to my face for a kiss. Kíliel sighed with happiness. Kílian just looked at Kíli confused. “What son?” “Why do you feel different when you kiss Mamma than I do when I kiss her?” Poor Kíli turned nearly purple at having an innocent question like that sprung on him. “Kílian,” I said, quickly coming to Kíli’s rescue, “Pappa is my husband and he loves me in a different way than you do. Do you feel different when you kiss Grandmother or Kíliel?” He pondered this for a bit, my little deep thinker, and concluded, “I guess there is lots of kinds of love?” “Very good Kílian! Yes, there are all kinds of love for different people. Each person makes us feel love in a special way that is all their own. I love you and Kíliel the same, just in different ways. I love Uncle Fíli and Uncle Thorin in different way too.  I would never kiss those dwarves the way I kiss Pappa because I feel different love for them.” “Not enough to kiss them?” he asked. “Well, I might kiss them on the cheek because I feel affection which is a love like I feel for Pappa just not as strong. Does that help you?” Again, he pondered this. It was so cute that Kíli snickered at the deep concentration in Kílian’s mind. “Mmm-hmm, yep, it does Mamma. Thank you.”  “It was my pleasure sweetheart. So, is anyone ready for breakfast?” I got a resounding yes from all parties present. “Then let us go to the kitchen and see what we can make. I think I have ingredients for pancakes.” “Mamma, meyk de haowt shepped wavohs fo us!” She was so cute with the baby talk still. Kíli grabbed her and swung her around to get the reward of an ear-piercing squeal of joy. How she could hit a pitch that high, made me wonder if she wasn’t part eagle. “Not so loud darling!” Kíli’s face looked like it was even more painful for him at such close range. “My ears get all cottony when you do that.” He laughed and stuck his finger in his ear and wiggled it around for emphasis. Kílian said, “Kíliel, you will break the whole hall! All the rocks will fall on us!” Poor Kíliel! She cuddled really close to Kíli and looked up at the ceiling. Whispering now, “Pappa, is Kíwian tewing deh twoof?” Kíli busted up laughing and had no sit on the floor with Kíliel in his lap. Kílian was over to him like a shot and snuggled too. “Your uncle Fíli said the very same exact words to me when I was your age Kíliel. I loved to scream just like that too and Uncle Fíli hated it. So he scared me into being a bit quieter dwarfling, and while Kílian is incorrect in assuming the mountain is going to break, it does hurt our ears when you get so excited.” Kíliel was almost in tears as Kíli and Kílian hugged her. “I’m sorry I scared you Sissy!! It just hurts a lot in my ears.”

Kíliel sniffed a rather wet sniff which had me quickly grabbing facial tissues for her nose. I preferred handkerchiefs but with the amount of snot these two produced I had a dwarven friend ask her husband who made other paper products for the mountain (namely bathroom tissue) if he might have an idea for what I now called facial tissues. The idea went over very well and now they were quite common.

“So, if I understood you Kíliel you would like heart-shaped waffles from the iron Uncle Thorin gave us?” In a much more subdued voice and still watching the ceiling, she said, “Yes pweez mamma.” Kílian chimed in with, “May we have blueberries as well Mamma?” “Do you want them on top or in the waffles?” Both twins shouted, “IN!” and so with a little help from two cooks in training and Kíli to keep the mess to a minimum, we had blueberry waffles and something I had taught the dwarves how to make. Maple syrup. Seeing as they had lived in Erebor before Smaug with conifers and pines on the mountain and then in the Blue Mountains with the same thing, they never found out how to tap for syrup.

~~*~~

We elves had been doing it longer than I could count years. When I had the dwarves and elves work together to reseed the mountain I made sure at the lower elevations there were plenty of maples and other deciduous trees, mostly for color and contrast but also syrup.  We had honey and sugar beets as well for sweeteners. I swear dwarven teeth were made of rock because they all had a sweet tooth the size of middle earth and yet never had problems with rot. I was hoping the children picked this up. I had never been a huge sweet eater, it was simply saved for when I ate at a feast or state dinner in Mirkwood. Although elves do prefer sweet fruity wines, so I guess I had it more often than I thought, just not in food form. Now I was making cakes, and for the children cup-cakes, along with sweetbreads. It was a trial and many errors; many, many errors, that Mother and I came up with these breads that didn’t need the foam from the ale to rise. The sodium bicarbonate mixed with honey did it.  Everyone who stopped by to visit, as well as Kíli taking a lot to work with him, got to be our test subjects. Once we had perfected things it was a whole world of flavors for me to play with. Adding cut dried fruits and berries as well as seeds and nuts. Then I got to thinking about seasonal foods. I decided to have some savory breads as well. So far I had made, 12 different kinds. 6 sweet, and 6 savory. Thorin most particularly loved the cinnamon swirl I made. He could eat a whole loaf by himself, and accidentally did once!

~~*~~

When Kíli and I had finally gotten through the day with the twins, dinner was done, cleaned up and baths had been taken, we sat with the children on their bed and read a few stories and told a few. Kíliel and Kílian both snuggled up to my flat tummy and bespoke the babies inside.

It had only been a day since I started them when they actually told us, with words, they loved us all! Kíliel said she helped them find the words to what they were feeling and told them.  Kíli and I were floored. “I think the new babies are going to be born with a lot of magic if you two keep helping them.” “Mamma, you n Pappa can hewp too. You cawn’t tawk to dem, but dey wuv it when you wuv each udder. Aow day tuhday evewy time you n Pappa woud hug ohw kiss…” “Or make those goofy eyes at each other, why do you look so goofy when you look at each other?” “Kílian,” Kíli laughed “That ‘goofy’ look is Mamma and I just knowing how much we love each other, and we can’t get enough of looking at each other.”  Kíliel thought she came up with a great idea, “Pappa, haow bowt uncuh Owi paint you two wuking goovy at each uver, den you can wuk at it aow deh time!” I snorted a laugh, and the twins grinned at me. “OK you two, before we all end up laughing, overexcited, and not sleepy anymore, let’s tuck you in?” “Pappa, sing us the mountain song please,” Kílian asked.

Kíli loved when the children asked him to sing. He sang a lot in the evenings. I had taught the children elfling learning songs and funny song in Sindarin and Kíli did the same in Khuzdul. I actually learned quite a bit about the dwarven culture from those silly dwarfling songs. Kíli and I watched as the low mellow tone of the song calmed them both down. We kissed them good night, turned the light down low and slipped out. Hopefully, they would not get thirsty, have to go to the potty, or have, ‘nightmares’, which meant, ‘we want to snuggle with you and Pappa’, again tonight. But life was good.

~~*~~

“Kíli, I think it’s time to let everyone know we’re pregnant again.” “Why so soon, it’s only been, what…a week?” “I know but two little someones who shall be a big sister and brother are busting at the seams to tell everyone this fact. It seems to be some kind of honor for them to be the eldest.” “You’ll have to ask Fíli or Uncle Thorin about that.” I finished the last loaf of bread and popped it and the three others in the oven, then stretching my back, I came over to sit down with Kíli on our favorite poufy couch. He skootched down so I could lay on the couch with my head on his lap. “So, love, how do you want to tell everyone?”

“I want to have everyone here for a nice dinner, but I also want to do something funny.” “Funny? Like what?” “Well, I was thinking that I could make little crowns for the twins, seeing as they feel this is so important. On the crowns I want to write ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Big Sister’, then they can, with a little help, open the front door and greet everyone and we can sit back and see how long it takes for the others to clue in on our surprise. What do you think? Too weird?” “I love it, Tauriel! You are so creative, and I know you are always saying you are too serious, but I think hanging around me for so long is rubbing off on you. This is going to be hysterical. By everyone who are you thinking?” “Well, would it seem vain if I invited the family and as many of the company as are here in the mountain?  I have a few friends that I’m excited to tell as well.” “So you are looking for a full out party?” “I don’t know,” I fussed, “I feel silly now, with hearing it spoken out loud. I guess just like Mother, Fíli, Thorin and maybe Dwalin and Ori?” “If that feels better to you, I think that would be fine. The twins are used to large crowds. With all the dwarrow dams and dwarrow maids, you and mother have over here all the time. “You’re laughing at me aren’t you Kíli?” “Would I do that?” “Yes.” “OK, then, I’m laughing at you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapter and a rather abrupt ending. I figured something is better than nothing. I hope I am right!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharing the exciting news. Celebrating the first Yule Fest with the twins. And I really go on and on about food. I think I was hungry when I wrote this. This is another chapter with the "new and improved" style of writing. I didn't get any nasty o grams from the last chapter (i didn't get any compliments either so I'll just go with it) so with this style of writing, I am hoping you get to know everyone better. Next chapter the twins will have matured a bit and Kiliel will be pretty much out of her baby talk stage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got another suggestion from a reader (I love polite critisizm..actually it is more advice that criticism really) on how to possibly make the reading smoother and have a better flow and also possibly help you understand quickly what each character is saying to help with the flow. Did it work? Let me know, please!   
> ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> 
> I always thought that the way I read things was how everyone did. I struggle to read books in the form they are in but I have adapted and even though I may read the same sentence three times before my eyes can find the start of the new one, I can still have a good read and see pictures instead of words. But until my reader showed me the difference between how I wrote a paragraph and how they felt it would be smoother and easier to understand, I had no clue that was how everyone else saw things!! 
> 
> I write as I think and to me, it flows smoothly. So please let me know if I achieved a smoother better flow and if it is easier to follow who says what.   
> _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
> I guess my brain is just wired different or something. I can't read out loud, really I can't. When I try to speak what I am reading, the letters all seems to get mixed up and sentences seem to actually move! I must have a special thing I made that has a cut in the middle so I can move it slowly down the page to read one sentence at a time as that is all I can see, out loud. 
> 
> My son has dyspraxia and dysgraphia so perhaps he got that from me. I can write just fine, and had beautiful handwriting. I did a lot of calligraphy until I worked at Kodak.
> 
> My son also has a very hard time reading words and seeing pictures in his head, it almost never happens. So he hates reading anything without pictures in it. It is all part of the Autism and ADHD as well as the other alphabet soup letter combinations he has. He was given a boatload of challenges. But at 2 he could sign very well and by 5 he was finally verbal. Now we can't get him to shut up!!!!!!!!! LOL

It took me two days to get the food ready, and the hall looking like two little whirlwinds did not try to daily destruct the place.  The décor was a combination of baby announcement surprise and Yule Fest. I had the table set up in subtle baby theme items I made from paper. Little folded diapers, little cradles, and pink and blue hearts scattered about.  The twins were so excited to finally be able to tell their secret. They had been showing the babies in me pictures of who was coming and who they were. I don’t think they understood all that much, but the love the four of them shared was so sweet.

For Yule Fest, I had purple taper candles in a carved birch branch with pine boughs around it, and bittersweet berries intertwined. We had a large cherry wood log to keep the fire blazing in the fireplace, plus it had such a cozy fragrance along with the oak.

I had baked a special cake and made a light meal for us. Everyone was coming around 2, so the children would be hungry for dinner and not sleepy for bed. Next year depending on how the twins aged we’d have to see what they would be up for.

I had basic munchies out, well basic for me.

I loved experimenting with flavor and texture, so I made popcorn (a secret from Bilbo, and a very hysterical story of the first time we made it) then took the sticky root sap from the mallow plants and made a simple syrup with a bit of flavor (different kinds of flavor) mixing the syrup and the sap made both less sticky. Just sticky enough to stay together with seeds, nuts, and candies I had learned to make mixed in, but not so sticky it was a nightmare. I then pressed it out with buttered hands (a trick Mother showed me) and made bars from it.

I also had potatoes that I cut thin and fried them really crispy. I took the soured cream, mixed in savory herbs, and caramelized onions. It was delicious.

I also had Thorin’s favorite sweet candy. I had made them to be taste tested; well he had taste tested a whole bowl!  They were made with cinnamon and were hot! I had to make them very small or it burned your mouth, but he loved the heat.  I teased him that this must be his version of dragon sickness, a craving for hot sweet candies.

I made a hot salad with vinegar, bacon, boiled potatoes, a bit of sugar and some salt and celery seeds. It always was a welcome addition to meals.

We would have thinly shaved pork steaks in a tomato-based sauce Mother and I created. Buns for the grownups. Tiny bits for the twins.

For something cold, I made an apple fruit salad with any berries that might still be in season. The mountain dehydrated a lot of the berries, so I would use those in a pinch.

I took cream and let Kíli impress me with his strength by whipping it as fast as he could as I added in a bit of sugar and vanilla. My husband truly loved me and this dessert to do it so often.

I also made mallows. Little fluffy cubes from the mallow plant’s root sap and honey. I would mash the roots to a pulp, boil them and add a bit of honey, then take sugar that had been milled so fine it was powder. I would pour the warm sap onto a large area covered in the sugar powder (very slowly so the granite could cool it) then I would sift more sugar powder over top and let it dry in the air for a day. Then with a buttered sharp knife cut them into cubes. It really wasn’t hard, just time consuming, but I loved doing it. I would put some on top of each salad once I served it.

With this much messy food, I dressed the twins in clean (not torn or stained, oh Kíliel) play clothes and let them run barefoot. The floors were all geothermally heated, so it was a dream to walk around barefoot in the hall.  Even though it was **_âfnarag,_** the twins were too little to dress formally for dinner and gift giving.

The door opened and Kíli walked in with a huge parcel. “Kíli, what on earth…?”

“I have no clue love. I got a letter in the post a bit ago, I left you a note…which may or may not be stuck to your foot.” He laughed.

I looked down and sure enough, a piece of paper was sticking out. “Oh, good grief,” I laughed as I pulled it off.  “I am running to the main post will be back soon.” “Ok, so what is this monstrosity?”

“It says it is for the twins to open after we share our good news.”

“Kíli, who else have you told?”

“That’s the thing, I haven’t told anyone, I asked the twins, they promised they hadn’t either and I know you didn’t, so I guess we are all going to be surprised.”

“Does it say if it is for **_âfnarag_**?”

“Nope, I checked everywhere on the parcel and there was no note at the post. It is from within the mountain though, so it’s anybody’s guess.”

Just then two sleepy heads woke up from their nap before we could hide the giant parcel.  The twins were so excited about it.

“Mamma!” Kílian shrieked with joy. “Is it **_âfnarag_** today?”

At the beginning of November, I put up our decorations up for Yule fest. We had explained the holiday when I was putting the decorations out.  I didn’t have many…yet. But it added a fun and exciting feel to the season. Starting on the 24th of November (which was today) we would have a feast with family and friends. Then almost every night we would have dinner at someone’s hall or in the dining hall. 

Each person would be given a small token gift every night through the 22nd of December.

I was not good with the token gifts, so I gave out food to last a week and made a new food each week.

The family knew we didn’t need more clutter, so they all gifted us with babysitting the twins at their halls.

Yule Eve, _**âfgalab** ,_ was on the 23rd of December. We’d have a huge feast with the whole family in the dining hall.

After the feasting, one handmade or commissioned gift with strong sentimental value was given to each person. The children receive gifts but did not give any until they were able to understand and comprehend what the festival meant. 

 “Yes, sweetie, **_âfnarag_** starts tonight. This parcel is a mystery to us. It is for you and Kíliel, but the directions tell us to not open it until after we tell our secret to everyone today.” 

“When wiw dat be Mamma? Soon?”

“Yes, it will be any minute now so help us move this to the other room please!”

“Mamma, Pappa, see I’m as strong as a dwarf grown I can move this so easy!”

“Me too Kiwian, me too!”

Kíli chuckled and I just grinned as we pushed with the children.

The moment we stopped a knock was heard at the door. 

“Crowns children. Let’s get your crowns on and see who figures this out first. Remember no giving hints!”

Crowns were hair pinned on, children ready at the door, Kíli slowly opened it (this felt like a military exercise I chuckled) Dís, Dwalin and Thorin were there.

They had barely stepped in when Ori and Fíli walked up.

“Kíliel, Kílian,” Ori said, “are you a king and queen?” He was grinning from ear to ear.

“NO! We’s gots stuffs yous needs to guess fwom us!!” Kíliel squealed. Kílian was dancing in a circle trying so hard to not point to his crown and failing in the cutest way a toddler could. 

Thorin picked them both up and said, “May I guess first?”

Yes Uncah Towin, go ahewd, what we twyin to tew yous?”

“Could it be that you are a prince and princess instead of a king and queen?”

“Uncle Thorin you already knew that! This is a new surprise, * _look at my crown*_ ,” he whispered conspiratorially. 

“Well my eyesight is very poor, so I think you will need Grandmother and Mr. Dwalin to read it for me to know what it says.”

This was going better than I ever could have hoped. The children were nearly vibrating for someone to say the big news.

Dís got down and Dwalin leaned over, “Well,” Dís said. “It seems to me that one of you is going to be a big sister real soon? Am I right?”

“YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kíliel busted every eardrum with her shriek.

“Sissy! OUCH!!” 

“Oops, yes gwanmuvew I gonna bez a big sizzew soon!” 

“Kílian, does that mean you will be a big brother?”

“Yes, Mr. Dwalin! Mamma has two babies and they love us and can’t wait to be borned to us!”

Dís had a smile a mile wide and gave me a bear hug, “Congratulations my dear!”

“Thank you so much, Mother!”

I hugged her back and then Kíli horned in, “Hey what about me? I was there that night too!”

Dwalin and Thorin cracked up and Ori was chuckling too.

"Oh Kíli, my son. Never change please. You are the light and laughter of my life!”

By this time the children had tackled Fíli, both crowns were quite askew, but he was laughing as he wrestled with them.

“Does this mean I get to be an uncle to more dwelves?”

Kíliel took a deep breath and Kílian covered her mouth before she could shriek.

This miffed her, so she bit his hand.

He yelped, and Fíli had to drag the two little orcs apart before they went into full out battle mode. 

“Hey, hey, hey. This is not the way to show your baby brother and sister how to behave is it?” 

Fíli wasn’t even scolding them, he was grinning, but the twins felt so bad that they had gotten angry at each other they hugged each other and cried.

“I’m so sorry Sissy, I love you!”

“I sowwy Kiwian, biting is so bad, I wiw do whatewew you want. I was bad.”

Kílian kissed her cheek and said, “Can I have your cup-cake?”

He was teasing her, but she was so upset that she did that, she cried.

“Yes, you can haf aw av dem fowevaow fwom now on Kiwian. I’m so sowwy!!” 

Fíli started to slowly tickle them, they began to squirm a little and giggle a bit then it was all out laughter as he blew raspberries on their tummies.

‘How did I luck out marrying into a family as loving and warm and so perfect,’ I asked myself?

Kíli said, “I don’t know about anyone else but Tauriel’s cooking is calling me and I am not waiting for any of you!”

Fíli was up like a shot carrying both twins like bundles of sticks under each arm. They were giggling, crowns now long forgotten.

“Let me help you get them in their seats Fíli,” I said. 

“I’ll get them in if you buckle them. I always pinch my fingers on those buckles.”

Littles seated, adults filled up plates from the island and came over to the table with plates piled high.

“So, when are these two due Tauriel?” Thorin asked.

“If they are like Kílian and Kíliel then less than 20 months. It’s been over a week since I started them.  I was going to wait a bit longer to tell everyone, but as you can see, these two were just ready to bust if we didn’t say something soon.” 

“Also, the next babies will only be two years younger than the twins. If this works well then I will do the same with the final set in 2 years.” 

“I think you and Kíli are going to have your hands full, but having children close in age is very good for them,” Dís said.

“I guess with it only being a week, you probably haven’t put much thought into the birth, but might I suggest at some point asking an elven midwife for any information they might have on this.

Kíliel and Kílian’s birth was more than memorable, so I don’t think we want to repeat that.”

“Mahal no!!” Kíli moaned.

Everyone laughed at him.

“Ya bin in a war laddie, why would the birth o’ two bairns turn ya off?”

“Please don’t make me think of it Dwalin, I want lunch to stay where it is please!”

  All the men cracked up at that. None of them were fathers but Kíli.

“Your times will come,” I said, giving each male a wicked grin.

They laughed, and Kíli said, “Yeah, laugh it up you all, but I want to be there to see how you deal with it!”

“So…” I giggled as Thorin took control of the conversation once more. 

“What do the two of you think about the idea of another brother and sister?  It seems that you are both excited.”

  “We will get to help a lot Uncle Thorin, cause we’ll be grown up by then and can do stuff to help Mamma and Pappa with the new babies.”

Kíliel, not to be left out. “I’m bees deh big sizzew n teach dem stuffs n how tuh play n danz n sing sungz. It’s gunna bees so much fun Uncuh Towen!”

“Mamma says she gonna get huge in her belly as the babies grow and that is going to be so fun to watch!” Kílian said.

Kíli saved me from mortification by saying, “I think this is the best sweet and sour potato salad you’ve ever made my love.”

I blushed, knowing full well what Kíli had done. How I loved my husband for being one step ahead of the game.

 

It was always awkward for me to accept compliments on my food. 

“I think you created a monster, Mother when you started to teach her how to cook!” 

“Your belly girth does seem to show you enjoy her cooking Kee.” Fíli teased.

“Hey, you’re over here every night enjoying her cooking just as much as me. 

Only you get more time in the ring with Dwalin to burn it off, as I’m stuck with a mountain of ridiculous paperwork. I'm probably so rusty at my bow Tauriel could beat me.” He gave me a sly glance.

“I can beat you at more than just the bow mister.” I giggled. 

“Kíli is it really becoming that much of a problem for you?” Thorin asked.

Kíli looked at him trying to decide how he wanted to properly word it.

“That answers my question without you having to say a thing. Take a few days off son and let me talk to Balin. I just need someone who doesn’t mind doing that type of work. I had originally thought it was light enough to give you more time with the family, but I see that’s not the case.” 

Ori piped up in his soft quiet voice. “I can help you with that Thorin, I still would like to do trading in the warmer months but for the winter and spring, bookkeeping, and reckoning are things I enjoy. I may not be able to give a royal signature…”

“I can still handle doing the bookkeeping but having you help me Ori will take that mountain of stress off of me.  Plus, perhaps we can look at all these forms and find a way to reword them, so they can be read faster by us and understood better by petitioners and others.”

“Brilliant Kíli,” Thorin said.

“For that, Thorin, I’ll bake you 2 loaves of sweet bread with the cinnamon candies in them for **_âfnarag."_**

“How about one a week and you have a deal?”

“I think I’ve been out dealt here.” I laughed. “Fine, three breads, and then I am planning on a lovely cake for Yule Eve after the meal when we come back here to rest.”

“Speaking of cake, shall we have drinks and let our meal settle then we can have cake?” I said.

“We still have the mystery package for Kíliel and Kílian to open,” Kíli said. 

“What mystery package Kíli?” Mother asked.

“Just before everyone got here, I received a note saying I had a parcel at the main post. If you look over by the fireplace you can see the thing, it’s huge and we have no idea who it’s from.”

“Why don’t we open it right now Mamma?”

“Are you getting excited to know what’s in it?”

I got a chorus of, “YES!” from everyone in the room.

“Well then, Mother if you would help me with the tea and juice, Kíli and Fíli can try and figure out what this mystery is.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

We split up, Thorin and Dwalin getting the twins cleaned up and then out of their chairs so they could get in the way, pestering Fíli and Kíli and generally be over excited littles on **_âfnarag_**. Mother and I brought out the drinks on trays and set them on the family room’s low sofa table.

By this point, Fíli and Kíli had wrangled the parcel open and inside were what seemed to be over one hundred smaller parcels of varying shapes and sizes wrapped in brown paper with festive strings and ribbons. 

“Ori give us a hand here,” Fíli said. “This is crazy Kee!”

“Here is a note,” Ori exclaimed. “It says, ‘To our first prince and princess born in Erebor under King Thorin II. We the subjects of Erebor bestow on the children gifts of our love and blessing for their first **_âfnarag_**. We are honored to be your subjects as well. Light and Love during this festive season and throughout the year.’"

“It looks like you two have been given presents from all the folk who live in the Lonely Mountain,” Ori said.

The children were stunned at the sheer volume.

“Now remember,” Mother said, you only get one a night.”

“Dís, I think with this many parcels, they could have 10 each a night!” Thorin joked. 

“I don’t know if I would do ten, but if we figure out exactly how many divided by two, and then for each night, I think we can have a better idea,” Fíli said.

We all cracked up when in unison the twins just sat on their bottoms and with jaws dropped tried to grasp it all.

“Dez iz aow foh us Mamma?”

“It seems so darling.”

“Hurry up Pappa, Uncle Fíli and Uncle Ori!” 

With three of them working on it, they had two piles sorted and a figure of 3 gifts a night plus one extra for **_âfgalab_.**

Fíli and Kíli gave the twins their first gift. They both grabbed them, then scampered over to Mother and Dwalin for help opening them.

“I wanna sayfs deh wibbons Gwanmuvew, cause day aow so pwetty.”

“Well that will make this is bit more challenging,” Dwalin said, “But I think we can manage it.”

Kíliel finally conceded that there simply was no way to open the gifts without cutting the ribbons, but Dwalin did it in such a way as to keep everything intact.

The first gift for Kíliel was a small carved wooden pony that had the mane and tail as well as the eyes and hooves burned for contrast in color.

She was thrilled, “Hew name is, ‘Nita’,” Kíliel shouted, then hugged her pony.

Kílian got colored beads on wires and a wooden frame. It helped children learn their numbers and counting.

“Ooooh, Kiwian, dat iz so gwayt!"

"If I share this with you may I play with your pony sometimes?”

“Yes!” was the happy shrill reply that had us all wincing.

“Wats nest Pappa?”

“Well, I think these two larger ones look rather interesting in shape and size don’t you?”

Together they both said, “Uh-huh.”

They were a tad confused when it was little tiny chairs, tables, dwarves, and dwarrow dams as well as beds, wardrobes, and teeny cups and saucers, plates, and pots. Between the two of them, they practically had a whole hall full of furniture and things.

Fíli said, “I think it might make more sense if I show you this.”

He had hidden behind him a wooden replica of a hall in the mountain. Little bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and living room.

There was no time to stop her… “ **COVER YOUR EARS**!!!” I shouted.

By now everyone was used to this order from me.

Kíliel let out a shriek of pure joy that would have probably made ears bleed!  She was all over this little replica. Chattering a mile, a minute.

“Kiwian, pweez, we need deh stuffs fow deh hall, hoowy!”

Again, our little dwelf has us laughing as he just shook his head and said, “Sissy, you are crazy!”

“I know dat, now come on we haf to get the hall all weddy for the dwawfs n dwawwow dams to haf **_âfgalab_.** Hey, weaw aow deh dwewfwings?”

For some reason, I felt panic. ‘They had not been accepted after all. This was all for show or something.’ I didn’t know what to say to the twins.

Ori, sweet gentle Ori, got down on the fur with them and said, “I bet they are in the last packages you forgot to open.”

Kíliel laughed and ran over to Dwalin, who was grinning.

I could not be sure if they were indeed dwelflings or dwarflings, but Kíliel didn’t care.

Suddenly Fíli and Kíli were on either side of me hugging me.

Kíli kissed me and Fíli said, “See, nothing to worry about Tauriel. Our people love these two. Why else would they have over 200 gifts?”

I whispered, “I, just, I kind of…” I was trying not to cry from the panic and then the relief.

“I think it’s just hormones,” Fíli said.

That made me laugh. “Ha, I got you to laugh!” and he hugged me tighter.

I put my forehead to his and softly said, “Thank you Fíli. You are so wonderful!”

I think I embarrassed him pretty badly because he turned bright red blushing and just shrugged.

“You are wonderful Tauriel. You are a fantastic mother and wife. You are a wonderful sister to me and I know the rest of the family loves you and the twins. There is no doubt in my mind that 99.9% our people love all of you as well. Never doubt our love for you, OK?”

“OK.”

I couldn’t tell if anyone else had noticed my hormonal overdrive reaction, but they didn’t seem to be upset. We had our tea as we watched the children play hall. Fíli and Kíli stuck right by me.

I laughed again when Dwalin said, “So ah, Tauriel…what kind o’ masterpiece did yeh bake for us?”

“Subtle Dwalin, real subtle.” Thorin laughed as he gave a friendly punch to Dwalin’s shoulder.

“Hey, Ye were thinking it, I just said it!”

The children had no interest in cake, as now, Kíliel’s pony was living in the kitchen and Kílian didn’t think that was very sanitary.

While they sat discussing the merits of a stable, the adults devoured my _blotkake_.  

A sponge cake with 3 layers of clotted cream and cloudberries, topped with a whipped cream and more fruit.

“You have to make this one again Tauriel. You outdid yourself, my dear.”

“Just wait Thorin, what I have planned for **_âfgalab_** will hopefully be a crowning achievement for me…or the biggest flop ever.” I laughed. 

“I don’t think you can ruin anything _amrâlimê_. Even the ‘disasters’, may have looked a little funny but they tasted great!”

We had more tea and small talk, when the twins came over, ready for their cup-cakes. They were getting very good at using the dwelfling size utensils, but I always let them make a mess with the cup-cakes.

The cup-cakes were easier for them to eat than a slice of cake. They chattered on for a while about the toys and what they might get over the next month, as they kept eyeing the piles.

When the group decided to call it a day, they went to the door while I grabbed their gifts from our family to them.

I was no good at all with things like building or carving, so for my gifts to the others I had baked what I had come to call ‘pound cakes’.

They were a bit different than the sweetbreads, much richer and denser.

"For Dís, I made you a Strawberry-Lemon, for Dwalin I made you a triple chocolate. The cake is chocolate, the frosting is chocolate and I have chocolate chips in the cake and topping the frosting.

“Yer gonna have me in a coma lass, I dinna ken I’ll survive it.” He laughed “But I’ll die a happy dwarf.”

“Fíli, this one is a new one, only my third try but if by the way, Kíli put away the other two, I am hoping you will enjoy it as well.

It is savory, with caramelized onion, bits of bacon, a hard-aged cheese, soured cream, some chives and it is very buttery.”

“I have no doubt I’ll love it and it probably won’t make it to tomorrow ‘hint, hint’.” He laughed.

I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “I’ll take that as a challenge and see what I can do.”

Dís gave Fíli a gentle swat to the head, “Son that is supposed to last a week!”

“Mother, I dare you to make yours last a whole week.” “Oh, well, I… oh you!”

Thorin laughed at Dís as he took his cake. “And what delectable delight do you have for me?”

This was really embarrassing me so much that they fussed so over just cooking, but I said, “I made special just for you a maple bourbon walnut. It is a bit rich with the bourbon. But it gives it a bit of the warmth I know you favor. I hope you like it.”

“That is my favorite flavor combination. How did you know?”

“Oh, I just notice things and, there you go,” I said, blushing so hard my ear tips were hot. He laughed and gave me a hug and touched foreheads.

“Kíli really found the mother lode with you Tauriel. I think we all have been blessed by you.”

Kíli came to my rescue because I was so choked up…again.

“This prophecy thing Lady Galadriel told us about is what gave me all the luck I needed to win her.” He hugged me and gave me a quick kiss.

“Ori,” I said, trying to keep myself on track. I made you cardamom vanilla. I remember you saying you had something like this as a child. I did my best to recreate what I heard you say. If you think I should change the recipe in any way, please, please, please, tell me, OK?”

“I, uh, yeah, I will. Gosh, thank you Tauriel. I don’t even remember talking about it, honestly. But I will let you know. I promise.”

We hugged, and I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek that had him blushing as well.

Kíli grasped his forearms and said, “Thank you for joining us. We appreciate everyone being here tonight and the gifts of dwelf sitting! I don’t think I will ever need anything else for the rest of my eternal life if we are going to have as many children as lady Galadriel said and Tauriel wants.”

That had everyone laughing. The twins gave tight hugs and sloppy kisses as everyone walked out the door.

~~*~~

With the twins bedtime routine done and them sleeping, Kíli helped me get everything tidied up around the hall.

We put the dwarven hall the children got, in pride of place near the fireplace, so they could play with it in the morning, and maybe let us sleep in.

Kíli just rolled his eyes and said, “I think you are already asleep love because you’re dreaming!”

He stoked the small fire in the fireplace, so we could snuggle and have small talk for a while.

He explained a few more holidays and celebrations, as I thought about food and decorations for each.

It became a yawning contest a couple hours into our snuggle time.

Kíli put out the fire while I turned down the bed.

It had indeed been a wonderful first day of **_âfnarag_** with the children.

As we spooned and Kíli rested his hand on my belly, I wondered what the future held.

How many dwelves would we have?

I was getting curious about Dwalin with Dís and wondered if that would go anywhere.

Fíli seemed content being a bachelor. He was over to our hall every day to play with the children and just have company. I loved having him over.

It somehow always felt more…complete and I felt more content with him spending time with us. 

In a way, it was like that with Thorin too. He was adamant he would never wed. Even when the time came that he would indeed become immortal.

He loved to tease Fíli and Kíli on how they nearly killed him as he helped raise them.

But he was so happy with the twins and loved them so much. They were not little darlings all the time, even when he was visiting.

The children loved him and had a great respect for him, so when he would step in to settle a quarrel or help Kíliel calm down because she was driving Kílian crazy, he did it with a natural ease that made me feel something inside.

I had no name for it other than family. I finally had a family and all the love that came with it. The future was going to be interesting for sure, but I felt positive about it.

Kíli kissed me and said, “Whatever you are overthinking, stop it and go to sleep.”

I rolled over and snuggled until I got comfortable. “I love you _amrâlimê_.” I kissed his chin, he chuckled as I drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Blotkake (bloot-kah-keh) is actually Norwegian. I lived in Norway for a year as an exchange student and this type of cake is used for birthdays, special occasions and holidays. There are the usual variations according to taste but in general, it is a sponge cake with whipped cream layers and various kinds of fresh fruit layered in the whipped cream then a whipped cream topping with lots of strawberries usually. I added cloudberries in the story because I have only had them in Norway and I love them. The purple taper candles are for advent. I had never heard of it until I went to Norway. Starting on the last Sunday of November a white or pink candle is lit, then 4 purple candles will be lit one new one each Sunday until- Jul -Christmas, so the first week 1 candle is lit from the white one, the second week the first and a second new candle are lit. They are lit during dinner each night and then blown out. I thought it would be cool even though it is not canon.  
> Oh, although Tolkien based the dwarves on the Norse and the Jewish people, dwarves do not have a bris for the boys, let that sink in. Males are like they were when they were born. FYI, or TMI you decide.


	9. Sub chapter of part 3 -All the info SO FAR on dwelves/elves/dwarves/humans in my AU of the hobbit-HEA's for all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow this link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16643630/chapters/39022193  
> Starlight & Firemoon is part 2 The Middle Years of Kili and Tauriel's HEA. 
> 
> This will take you to what is basically chapter 8 with all the info Tauriel has collected thus far as well as me adding future information. I will make another info chapter once the children age a bit more and we are up to 12 dwelves (book 4). Most all info needed is in 8 as of this writing. It is supposed to help you understand aging in each race comparable to the others and mental, physical and magical development as well. Once there are 12 dwelves, Kiliel and Kilian will stop aging for a bit and we can explore more into that.
> 
> Any questions, you know how to find me. Clear as mud? Good!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much to see here except to tell you to check out part 3.
> 
> I am working feverishly (OK I don't have a fever but these damn shingles are making me insaner-er-er-er.) I am getting only about an hour of sleep to 3 hours awake. I am in pain like sweat on scratches it burns like acid. Anything touching it makes me want to scream and while it is legal in my county in New York for all woman 18 and over to be topless (yes, google Rochester NY Topfree 7. Mothers were sick of being shamed for breastfeeding in public so they all went to the main hill in town and called the news and protested and now women of Monroe County can go topless.) I don't want to make people sick looking at my busted ass 48-year-old body. LOL I know updates are longer than I wanted. But I am trying to write for Hobbit holidays as well. 
> 
> to polish up Chapter 9 in my "new style" No one has yet to complain so I am running with it as I am having a blast now with all the guys in my head. The dwelves crack me up when they talk to me. This is sooooooooooo much more fun!

Dwelf stuff- go to part 3. learn about stuff-go now!  We are still in part 2 of Starlight & Firemoon, we have about 8 more chapters to go. Halfway there!  I need to get my fingers in gear.

 

Then on to Fili's HEA in book 3 **All for Love.**

It is not a long book, 16 or so short chapters, but it is funny and beautiful and made me cry a lot of happy tears as I wrote it and everyone was talking in my head.  It's like, "you guys, this is so romantic and sweet and I love you all!"  



	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins as they grow in their first two years...and all the fun that comes with it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope how I have broken the sentences up makes things smoother and easier to read as well as to know who is talking and when. A gentle reader commented on this as so I am giving it a go.
> 
> Real life exploded with so many spectacular disasters, some all at once. Others one right after another non-stop for days. So November is official my most hated month of the year. As I look back, everything awful seems to happen in November. In 2005, the three of us were homeless for three months, we have lost many loved one in November and the weather in western NY sucks-no sun for weeks.
> 
> So this chapter is not as proactive with conversations as previous ones. Every time I sat at the computer and the gang talked to me, I just had no motivation/energy/desire to make the changes. I am hoping to come back in a bit and do so. I just want to keep the story moving for now and so much fun stuff is coming up I don't want to wait. All the other chapters coming up, I am quite pleased with and will try this new method of breaking things up (unless you all think it is too hard to read.)
> 
> So here we go.

**Tauriel’s POV** \- I kept meticulous notes about everything with Kíliel and Kílian.  They were the first as I now called them, “Dwelves”, in history and if any more elves and dwarves married, this would help them. 

Plus, it would help me see any similarities as each set of twins came, and how they grew in comparison to their siblings.

I found that the twins growth was a near perfect blending of both races.

In utero, almost from conception to birth, and for about a month after birth, they had the mentality of a year-old human, only with the gift of mind speech of a 2-year-old human once they heard the word of what they were thinking of.

They began verbal speech of babbling about three days after birth and by 1 ½ month's were baby talking. By 4 months Kílian was almost as verbal as an adult, needing the words for new things, but he was quite articulate.

Kíliel baby talked much longer and even though she was articulate, it was babyish until she was about 6 months old. Gradually she lost the babyness, and all her consonants were sounding proper. 

We started as soon as we knew they understood us while I was pregnant to speak all three languages to them.

Kílian was a whip at it, Kíliel spoke just Khuzdul until about a year. Then almost overnight began peppering in Westron and Sindarin until at 2 she was fluent.

Kíliel was right from the start my hyper girl.  She was harder to get down for naps and was always chattering away, even to herself, she never stopped talking. It drove Kílian nuts as it seemed they had a kind of mindshare that they could hear each other’s thoughts and talk back and forth. Most of the time he was just trying to get peace and quiet. 

She loved being the center of attention and was very outgoing. Loving to explore and try to figure things out, dragging poor Kílian along for the ride.

Not that he couldn’t get himself in plenty of sticky situations on his own, but the two of them together were a force to be reckoned with!

 Kílian was shy and more of an introvert who just loved to watch people and listen. He had a unique way of making you feel calm when he snuggled with you. He always seemed to know who needed a snuggle and when. If he had something to say he would go on and on just like Kíliel could, but he was much more mature in his way of talking and thinking. Where Kíliel chattered, he was able to articulate very well what he wanted.  He was much more elf than dwarf, whereas Kíliel was more dwarf than elf in that regard.

I wasn’t sure why Kílian was such a shy boy.

When I asked him, he said, “It’s just me Mamma. Is something wrong with me?”

 I almost died. “Oh sweetie, my bestest boy! No. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you at all. You are unique and very special. Do you remember why?”

 “Cause I’ma dwelf?”

 “Yes, my darling, and remember that I told you about the prophecy?”

 “Yes Mamma.”

“So, there can never be anything wrong with you my little gem. You and all your brothers and sister will be the most special children in middle earth, well all of Arda really.

Everything you do is special to you and you alone. So how can you be wrong, if you are so right?” 

He thought about it as I held my breath.

“I’m glad I’ma dwelf Mamma. Cause Kíliel needs another dwelf to be with her. She’s pretty unique too, * _and loud*,_ so we have each other. So that is probably why I am so quiet because she isn’t.”

 I laughed as hugged him and kissed his hair.

“Yes, sweetie, I bet that’s it exactly, and I love you just the way you are. Never change unless you want to!”

 

At 1 yr. the twins could walk, run, and even dance a little.

Kíliel and Kílian were the equivalents of a two-and-a-half-year-old human physically, and a three old mentally.  

They still sometimes took a tumble when running faster than their legs could go. 

When elves reached one year they were as coordinated and poised as an adult, while dwarves at one year were physically and developmentally equivalent to a four-month-old human infant.

Kílian was not as coordinated as Kíliel, but I think that was because he liked to sit and draw, play his pipes or just be read to. 

 

Thorin had given him the pipes as a gift. 

The look on Thorin’s face as Kílian began to blow on them was as priceless in its glee as Kíli’s was in sheer horror.  Mother and I could not stop laughing as the two looked at each other.

One was all innocent, and one was glaring darkly.

Kílian surprised all of us though at how quickly he learned. Kíli and Fíli would join him with their fiddles and Thorin had a smaller version of his grand harp. They would sit with Kílian and help him learn how to play dwarven tunes.

 He also had many that were of his own making, and the three adults played along with him, making him very happy.

It was shortly after he had become quite proficient at them, we realized he had a gift with the pipes to channel or change other’s emotions, to give physical strength and healing. 

I was thrilled beyond words to see some of my magic in him. 

 

Of course, we knew all the babies had magic as that was how they saved Fíli, Kíli, and Thorin. But this was the first evidence of it in actual use now that they were growing. Much like his music, he was not bouncing off the walls like Kíliel. He was always calm and sedate. Ok, he did get whiney whenever Kíliel got on his nerves, but overall he rolled with everything.

 He liked to play activities only if it seemed like fun. He was much more emotional that Kíliel, but he was subtler about it, she was boldly in your face making it seems she was the emotional one. 

 They both loved mind speech and I found I was better at it than Kíli. I felt, saw, and heard them.  While he got more of the emotions the child was feeling along with some words, but no images. If it was urgent enough the children made sure he could understand them.

 

They both were tall for their age seeing as they had been so small at birth but were solidly built like dwarves. Not as wide as dwarves in the shoulders, but not willowy like elves either.  Almost human in a way. They had my ears, only not so pronounced and a bit thicker like a dwarf’s.  The points were almost rounded like Kíli’s, but they were elongated like mine. 

They had large feet but again not as large as a dwarf. 

And their fingers were more like mine in length, but a bit thicker like Kíli’s.

Their facial features were interesting in that they had a more elven look of long faces and sharper features. Yet Kílian was a spitting image of Kíli, only with those sharper angles like an elf. Kíliel favored Kíli in looks as well. They both had my red hair, although Kílian's was more a coppery auburn while Kíliel's was vibrant red

Neither one had any beard hair. I was concerned about it, seeing all that Kíli had gone through. But everyone reassured me that as dwelves they might get some funny looks and a few innocent questions, but overall our people knew the children would be different and special in a good way.

Kíliel loved to get down and dirty outside and was forever, much to my dismay, ripping her clothes or getting a scrape or a bruise.

 She loved to watch Kíli and anyone in the weapons practice ring or outside in the meadows. 

Many of the dwarves from the company stopped over to visit when they were in the mountain and several had even babysat a time or two.  The little dwelflings just stole your heart before you knew you had even lost it to them. Kílian would beg the dwarves to bring, “their music,” when they came so he could play with them. Kíliel would sing and make up songs while they played. She had a sweet, chirpy voice and was very good at singing. She got that from Kíli. I could sing and hold a tune, but nothing fancy or remarkable.

 Kíliel loved animals but hated bugs.

 Whereas Kílian loves to watch bugs.

“They wouldn’t step on me Mamma and most of them won’t bite me. I’m also bigger than them,” which made me laugh.

 They both had vibrant personalities and such charm.

They were always busy with something and with Fíli practically living with us they had a strong bond with him and loved to play with him.

He loved being my “buddy” when I needed to go out and everyone else was busy.

 I didn’t want to impose on him, but he was always happy to help. He catered to each twin’s personalities and yet he was always able to get Kílian to wrestle with him or some other horseplay. Kílian knew when Uncle Fíli was in the hall it was going to be fun. Fíli had to be careful with Kíliel though because she could go from calm to hyper in seconds. Playing with her was a real challenge but he did wonderfully with them.

They wore Kíli and me out most days, but I had never been happier in my life.

 I wanted to say life felt like it was complete, and I was content, but the oddest thing was, I felt like there was something more.

Like a puzzle. If one piece was missing, the whole puzzle didn’t look right. I thought perhaps it was the fact that we still had another set of twins in the wings and then I would feel complete, but even that didn’t seem right. I always felt the best when the whole family was over.

Yet still that puzzle piece. I would have to wait and see what the future brought.

**Kíli’s POV** \- I could not believe how fast our babies became littles! In just a month they were rolling over, at 2 months they were crawling and getting into everything!  Mother had told us how to baby proof the hall, but with these two we had to go above and beyond. You could not take your eyes off them for a single second. I had heard Mother say the same thing about me and Fíli, but I thought it was pure exaggeration.

NOPE!

In as little as 3 seconds they could crawl from the living room and be in the kitchen cabinets digging around. They loved to try and zip out the front door whenever anyone came over, so I built a gate to not only keep them in to calm both Tauriel’s and my nerves.

I had to build a fence around both fireplaces and when they started to walk two weeks after they learned to crawl I had to almost nail everything down that they used to pull themselves up with.

Tauriel made me put two bookshelves in storage because the twins were a split second from having one fall on them when they tried to climb the thing!!

Kíliel was forever banging her head into things, like the low sofa table.

She had three goose eggs on her head. Thank heavens she had a hard dwarven head!

After the third bump, that table went into storage.

By 3 months we had to commission a bed low enough, yet wide enough for them as they would not stay in their crib. The first time it happened we had put them to bed and they had fussed, but usually, they settled down and went to sleep quickly. Tauriel and I had barely sat down when we heard giggling and a thump, then another thump and crying. I was up to go see what was happening.

 A very proud of herself Kíliel was crawling out to the living room grinning like crazy at us.  Kílian was right behind her.

Tauriel made a huge nest of blankets on the floor and sat with them until they fell asleep. It took two days for the bed to be made so we had them sleep with us.

That was a bad move, but we didn’t know.

We had a cute blanket and pillows for the bed and all their stuffies. Mother had come over near bedtime to help make a big deal of the twins now in a big dwelf and dwelf maid bed.

The twins loved jumping on it and bouncing, but when it came time for bed, they wanted to sleep with us again. It took a week to get them in bed without a ton of fuss and crying.

~~*~~

It was both thrilling and a downright pain when they potty trained and no longer needed diapers.

Yay, no more diaper changes!

Groan, “Pappa I have to go potty” a dozen times a night.

Tauriel and Mother had gone to the market with the twins and Kílian informed Tauriel he had to go potty as he was peeing in the market. Soaked clothes, dwarves scattering to get away from the pee puddle that was spreading and Kílian bawling which set Kíliel off. I am so glad Mother went with Tauriel because she was able to hustle them home after the spill was cleaned and settle all three of them down. 

Tauriel was napping when I got home and heard about it.  I quickly went in to see if she was alright. She was just lying in bed staring at the lamp.

“Tauriel?” “Tauriel, are you Ok love?  Mother said it was a rather adventuresome day with the twins.”

She began crying about what a horrible mother she was no matter what Mother had said to her. I let her cry it out, which seemed the best course of action. When she had stopped crying she did feel better. “I should have thought about them needing to go potty, and I should have planned something.”

“Well,” I said, “Do you know where all the public lavatories are?”

“Some of them. Mostly from when I had to pee so much while I was pregnant. I guess I can go and map them out and plan to be near one at all times as I shop with the twins.”

 “For both our sanities sake, would you ask a friend or family member to go with you and not try to shop with the twins by yourself. That just seems to have disaster written all over it!”

She giggled at me and the desperation in my voice. “I promise amrâlimê. I will use the buddy system.” She giggled even more.

~~*~~

As with everything with the twins it was trial and error. 

Poor Uncle Thorin was watching them (after this he learned that the buddy system was a clever idea as well) and Kíliel poo’d in her leggings and it wasn’t a “neat” poo either.

Thorin gave her a bummer bath which Kílian came in and pouted he wanted a bath with bubbles, so uncle Thorin ended up soaking wet and when we came into our hall, two little streakers were going in opposite directions with Uncle Thorin looking thoroughly frazzled.

He saw us come in and the look of sheer relief was hysterical.

 I scooped up one streaker as she ran past me and Kílian ran right to Tauriel to tell her all about Kíliel’s poo and the bubble bath and “hide and seek”.

Uncle Thorin said, “Who decided we were playing naked hide and seek?”

 The twins both shouted, “US!”

I whispered to Tauriel, “ _Sounds like a game I’d like to play_.”

 Uncle Thorin heard me and just gave me the famous Durin scowl and snorted at me. That put Tauriel into a fit of giggles that set off hiccups and Kílian was off again.

Uncle Thorin collapsed on the couch, and groaned, “Vili’s genetics breed true in another generation! Oh, Mahal save us!”  That had me laughing, “I have to deal with this everyday Uncle.”

 “More power to you Kíli, but with two more set of twins in the wings…”

 I suddenly had to collapse on the couch.

 

Uncle Thorin got his revenge when he gifted Kílian with a set of pipes. “Uncle,” I growled, “What made you decide to give him PIPES?!”

He grinned with a total insincere apology. “The lad needs something to keep him busy.”

Mother and Tauriel busted up laughing as I just glared at him while Kílian blew off key as hard as he could.

~~*~~

By the time Tauriel was nearing the birth of Gaelan and Gaeliel, The twins were roughly the size of three-year-olds and Tauriel reckoned that mentally they were closer to four-year-olds.

Kíliel’s magic was moving along at the same rate as Kílian’s. Hers was easier to see because of how she used it. Whereas with Kílian, his pipes seemed to be a focus for his magic.

Tauriel was over the moon to see the magic in them. I knew it made her proud to not only see the twins magic improving but that it was a part of her in them. 

She and I were watching the twins playing and she pointed out things about the twins physical appearance that had the blending of both of us. I could see that Kíliel was more dwarf than elf and Kílian was the opposite.  It was such a powerful feeling when Kíliel looked at me and I saw my eyes looking back. To look at Kílian and see a near perfect mini-me, only as a red-headed elf.

The children’s hair was growing faster now.  They both had a thatch of red when they were born but lost most of it within a few weeks and just had peach fuzz.

Then at about 7 months, it was like it grew an inch every day! Tauriel made Mother give them their first haircuts. She just could not do it. Elves never cut their hair.

She cried.

I saved the little red and auburn curls and put them in a small envelope with names and ages. 

Now that their hair was longer we tried to braid it with their rank and genders. Oh boy! They were so not happy with that.

Mother said, “Kíli, give them some time, it is a new feeling. If at night one of you read to them while the other makes braids. You can braid and unbraid them over and over, they might accept the braiding better then. Besides Kíli, they are Dwelves, so it is not as important for them to have dwarven braiding. As they get older and see their playmates with braids they may be more open to it. Don’t force them or you will never get them to do it. This way you just might.”

When Tauriel knew it was time for the next set of twins to be born, we had Dwalin and Fíli watch the first set while mother and a couple of midwives helped us bring Gaelan and Gaeliel into the world.

When Tauriel was resting after the new twins had been fed, I brought Kíliel and Kílian in. Mother had warned us of possible jealousy, but the way Kílian and Kíliel cooed and fawned over their new bother and sister and how happy they were to be with them again, I had no worries about that.

The thought that occurred to me was now we had 4 children…

We were outnumbered!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, no, maybe...is it easier to read? Smoother? Let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dis and Dwalin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Kiliel's POV

**(January 2944)**

The twins were about 6 months old (mentally 2 human years) when Dwalin started showing up on a regular basis to visit and play with the twins.  Fíli, I understood. They were his niece and nephew.  It took me a few visits to put two and two together and realize that Dwalin was always over whenever Mother was there.

 I told Kíli. “Dwalin?! Really?”

 “I can just tell Kíli, trust me.”

This is where Kíliel’s gifts began to shine and I saw her magic at work that I had not noticed before. 

She somehow felt the sorrow from both Dís and Dwalin for all they had lost over the years.  Dís and Dwalin would take turns sitting with a twin each in their arms dozing, and I could literally feel her drawing the pain and sorrow away from them, replacing it with happy emotions. 

( **July 2944** )

After 6 months I realized it was empathic healing, a magic that even the oldest of the elves had spent millennia trying to do and she was only a year old now! I was stunned. 

( **Jan 2945** )

It seemed to do the trick though, because of Kiliel’s (now 18 months old, mentally 3 years human) “treatments” Dwalin asked Dís if he might court her and she accepted!

 ~~*~~

**Kíliel’s POV-**  Mr. Dwalin had been coming to our hall for as long as I could remember. I even remembered him from when I was in Mamma and I helped heal him after us children killed the monster and saved Pappa.   He was scary looking if you had never met him before, but I knew he was a very nice dwarf.  He was also very sad inside, but he held that part of him deep inside, so no one would know, but I could feel it and it made me sad that he felt like that.  I knew I could help him be happy all the time and take away the sad feelings he had.  I would crawl onto his lap and pretend to sleep. He would hold me while he talked to Grandmother.  He loved her so much.  He loved her like Pappa loved Mamma. 

 Grandmother cared so much for him because he had been her friend for so long, but she was sad too.  Pappa told me his Pappa died right after he was born and when I asked him if that was why Grandmother was sad inside he said it most likely was as she loved him very much.  He said she was sad too because her grandparents, and parents were dead. She had another brother besides Uncle Thorin who had died a long time ago that also made her sad. 

 I knew I had to make her happy to make Mr. Dwalin happy, but I had to make Mr. Dwalin happy first.  So, while I sat on his lap I took away the things in his heart and mind that had made him so sad for so long.  It took me a while to do it because he had so much inside.  I helped Grandmother too when she would hold me.  I made her sadness change, so it was happy memories instead of sad ones.  I wanted her to only remember the happy things about all the people who had died.  She took a long time too.

 It was worth it though when I began to feel Grandmother think about Mr. Dwalin differently.  She began to see him as more than a friend and I knew I could help her love him like Mamma loved Pappa.  So, I put it in her mind that Mr. Dwalin was in love with her!

One day Mamma and Pappa were talking and laughing and hugging Grandmother and Mr. Dwalin. They called me and Kílian over and told us from now on they would like it if we called Mr. Dwalin, Grandfather as he was marrying Grandmother. 

 I was so happy I was able to help them love each other and get married like Mamma and Pappa were.  I felt how happy they were and Mr., I mean, Grandfather was just so happy and relieved to have the dwarrow dam he had always been in love with as his wife. I laughed so much more now when he came to our hall because his happiness was mine too.  I was especially extra happy every time I told him I loved him because he would tell me he loved me too and I knew he did.  I loved making people happy. 

 Mamma asked me one day why I was so happy and bouncy and loud when Grandmother and Grandfather came over and I told her that I helped them love each other and become married.  She wanted to know how I did that and so I told her, and she was sure surprised but not mad.  She said I had a special magic to be able to do that.  Magic like she had but stronger.  She was a healer she said.  I asked her if I was too and she said I sure was.  She said next time though that before I decided to make people happy as I did and make them fall in love with each other I had to talk to her to make sure it was OK. 

 I asked if I was in trouble. I did that sometimes, get in trouble, and she said no that what I had done was a good thing and if I had told anyone, that Grandmother and Grandfather probably would not have fallen in love.  But she didn’t want me having the wrong people falling in love with each other just in case.  I was happy I wasn’t in trouble and I told her I would always ask from now on. She told me, I love you dwelfling, and she had never called me that before, but it made me happy and I told her I loved her, and I loved that name.  She said that she would use it as my nickname from now on then and I asked her what that was, she said a special name you give someone you love very much.  I was really happy now!!

* * *

 

**Dwalin's POV-** I had been in love with Dís for as long I could remember. I was still a dwarfling and she was nearly a dwarrow maid grown that I recollect my first memory of her. My Da and Mum brought me and Balin to visit Thorin, his father, and the king. Kings meant nothing to me, so I was unimpressed with all that. What struck me though was how the king was acting a bit odd and Thorin was trying to persuade him to do something. Da helped Thorin and when I saw how relieved Thorin was from my Da's help, I felt as if I should help too. If Da put that much importance on something then it meant it was important to me.

I was suddenly distracted by the sounds of squabbling among children older than me. Balin was chuckling and I looked at him and ask, "Nadad, what's so funny?"

"Nothing much nadadith, the young prince and princess always seem to disagree on how the hearth and home should be run.  The 3 princes' have been running things for a while and the young princess is coming into her own. She feels that as the female that she should be running things, and she should. The hearth and home is the female's domain. We would do well to listen to them as they are very clever in these matters."

"Why would the prince argue with her then? He should listen to her."

"Aye, he should but in his eyes, she is still his baby sister and he is not of a mind to listen to her. Tis driving poor Thorin and Thrain near mad, those two are."

I felt I needed to see what was going on. I followed the sounds of near howling now. That was the prince I took it. The princess was shouting demands I think.  I peeked around the corner and nearly fell on the floor laughing. A little dwarrow maid was perched on the prince and had him flattened, with one arm nearly twisted out of its socket and she was now biting his calf. He let out a bellow and cussed her out. Well, I had to step in, brother or not, prince or not, no one spoke to a female, especially a princess as beautiful as this one was, that way.

I barged in the room and barked at the prince to quit his caterwauling and act like a dwarf grown not a squalling dwarfling in diapers. THAT got both their attention. The prince scowled at me and yelled, "You are supposed to be on my team!  She is just a silly dwarrow maid!" 

I saw red.

I moved to the beautiful princess and said, "Excuse me, your highness, I feel I must step in and teach this lout some manners." Oh, Mahal! She smiled so sweetly and coyly at me I almost stopped breathing.

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Dwarf."

As I was wrangling the prince into a seated position I said, " Yeh, can call me Dwalin your highness."

I looked the prince in the eyes and said, "I'll be having yer name, young prince." 

"Hey," the Prince growled at me," Why aren't you calling me 'your highness' too?"

"Yeh need to deserve the honor of such a title, and the way yeh were treating yer sister, the princess, is in no way how a proper royal would treat anyone much less family, ya ken?”  He was rubbing his arm and leg almost at the same time in a crazy contortion and just leered at me.

"Yeah, well she's my LITTLE sister so what's it to you?  Who are you anyway?"

My Da, Mum, Thorin, the prince, and the king had come in at some point, which was a good thing because I think if I had boxed the young prince's ears in I would have been in trouble.

Thorin, my Da, and the Prince all shouted to the young prince at the same time, "FRERIN DURIN!!!"  The prince winced and cowered. He hardly looked repentant, just miffed he got caught. I thought the males were all going to give him a tongue lashing, but I was shocked when me Mum, moved to Frerin and held out her hand to him. He stared at her. She cleared her throat. 

"Frerin, Please come with me. We need to talk. You have been lacking in the blessings of having a mother at your hearth. This must be remedied if you are to be a respectable dwarf prince grown. So, come with me young dwarf." Mum's voice was, 'The Voice', the one that brooked no nonsense and one you did not say no too.  Frerin seemed on some instinctual level know that voice and followed her meekly.

I swallowed hard and turned to the princess. "Are yeh alright yer highness?" 

"Yes, Dwalin." I nearly melted at the sound of my name coming from her lips.  "I appreciate your help and that of your family. Things are difficult all around for the dwarves, we do not need such infighting amongst the royal family." She spoke with such clarity and confidence, I could not help myself and bowed to her. She was smiling at me when I looked at her again. "You are a loyal friend Dwalin and I am glad to count you as one."

We chatted for I don't know how long but she had me enthralled. Thorin and the adults came over after a bit and we spoke with them. Da finally said, "I almost feel sorry for Frerin, almost." That had Thorin, the prince and king laughing. 

"He has become a handful of late. He is in an odd position as we are not fully recognized as the royal family, he is the second prince and is just trying to figure out where he fits into all of this. He has gone a bit sour and I have tried, but as his older brother, he has little respect for me as well."

Da said, "Thorin, my wife will set him to rights and I can bet yeh that Frerin will be much more respectful and cooperative from now on.  Show the lad love, less firmness, and give him some responsibilities he can handle that will make him feel useful and important. He seems to feel he has been forgotten. I've heard that middle children have that problem. If he feels he has a place in the scheme of things, it will go a long way to help enforce whatever my wife is hammering into his thick skull."

"Your Majesty, your highness, if I may be so bold as to say, you both as well should set more time aside for Frerin. Simple male bonding time. Connect with him. Love him and let him feel that love and let him feel how much you respect and appreciate how he is helping you. The prince is a bit lost is all, and if we nip it in the bud now, he will grow up just fine."

"Thank you Fundin," Thorin said, "We should have reached out for help sooner."

"Ah, lad yeh kenna know how things will be and with all the upheaval in our lives, the young are more confused and lost that we think. Balin is old enough to grasp this, and Dwalin was not yet born so he doesn't understand all the ramifications of what has happened. This is the only life he knows."

It was then me Mum and Frerin came out. I was surprised, to say the least, to see that they both must have been crying. Frerin was holding tight to Mum as she came into the room with us. She looked down at Frerin and smiled.

"I-I'm so sorry Dís, Thorin. I...I understand more now and I won't be acting like a spoiled brat anymore. I promise...I promise for Mother's memory of us and who we are.  I want her to be proud of me even if she is not with us.  I hope you both can find it in your hearts to forgive me, but I will understand if you don't." He began to cry again, Mum hugged him and kissed his head.

Thorin and Dís were upon Frerin like a puppy on a biscuit. Both were crying as hard as Frerin.  "We both love you with all our hearts big brother!  I may not be Mother, but I will stop being so bossy. Perhaps Dwalin’s mother can help me know better how to run a hearth with more love and less frustration."

Dís was truly amazing.

By the time I reached an age to court her though, she had fallen in love with Víli and married him. I knew I would never marry. I loved Dís with all my heart. I could at least give my loyalty to the family and be her friend. Thorin and I had become very close after the battle of Azanulbizar. I lost my Da. 

Mum was so heartbroken she followed him not long after, leaving just Balin and myself.  Thorin though, he had lost not only his grandfather the king, but his father and of all dwarves, Frerin. Thorin and Frerin had fought something fierce. Thorin needed Frerin to look after Dís in case thing went badly. 

As we traveled to Kazad Dum, Thorin told me that Frerin had finally capitulated and stayed with Dís.  No one had a clue that as soon as we left, Frerin was following. The lad knew very little of fighting and had almost no skill, so I have no idea what he was thinking.

Thorin told me he had stumbled upon Frerin as he was dying. 

"Brother! I will not die alone as I feared."

"What in Mahal’s name are you doing here Frerin?" Thorin wailed 

"I had to do my part Thorin. It was humiliating to have to stay home and babysit Dís.  I saw what happened to grandfather.  Is Father.....?"

"I know he did not die, but he went mad when grandfather was killed. All we can piece together is he may in his madness be heading to Mordor, but we are not sure."

"Dís will only have you then, brother. How stupid I have been."

"Frerin, I will admit, I wish you had stayed home...but I understand.  I love you brother."

"As I will always love you Thorin.  I go to be with our family now. I feel I will see you again though. Isn't that the strangest thing?" 

Thorin was never able to talk about it again. I was the one who had to tell Dís.  Her anguish broke me. I swore to her I would never leave her or the royal family.  My heart always held such a powerful love for her, even as she took another and then suffered at his loss. 

When she began to respond more and more to me, I was scared to even hope. We would sit in Kíli and Tauriel’s hall, each with a twin and just talk for hours. 

Suddenly I felt that if I did not press my suit with her, I would lose her forever. So here I am, with the most perfect Dwarrow Dam in all of Middle Earth, my wife. I knew I had her whole heart. She told me she would always have a love for Víli and I must accept and understand that. But I was now her whole life and Víli would be a fond memory. I was her future.

**~~*~~**

**Dís' POV-** My name means, 'Loss'. I had lost so much. My grandparents, parents, Frerin, and my Víli.  I should have been named Sorrow. It seemed though that the Gods had other plans for me.  When Thorin and the boys left to reclaim Erebor. I knew in my heart I would never see them again.  I make Fíli promise to keep Kíli safe. He was reckless and foolish. I made Kíli promise me to return to me.  

Thorin left first, to talk to the dwarf lords for help. Then my babies. I watched as they laughed and joked, walking away from me. Further and further. I stood there well past dark. A part of me thought that if I never moved from this spot they would indeed return.

When I got a raven from Thorin nearly a year later, saying all was well and Erebor was ours again, I cried for three days.  Thorin said he and the boys would be home in the late spring early summer. Much work had to be done.

The day Fíli and Thorin came through the door, I cried like I never had. I panicked when I did not see Kíli!  They both assured me he was perfectly fine, better than fine actually. He had been told by old Gandalf he had to stop in Rivendell before he could head home, but he wasn't far behind.

Can you even for a moment imagine how I felt when my baby (who looked so grown up when he came through the door) hugged me?  Then to introduce a pregnant she-elf as his wife. I was shocked for only a second then so overjoyed! His wife was such a blessing to Kíli, and to all of us.

And now Tauriel is almost more a sister than a daughter in law to me.  My grandbabies are such darlings and to think I have four more on the way! She is everything Kíli needs in a wife. I was so happy for them.  Although a part of me ached as I saw their love and remember my Víli.  As the children grew, I began to feel less and less sorrow for the past and only remembered the happy times with fondness, not sadness. Dwalin was still ever our loyal friend and I cared so much for him. I knew he had strong feelings for me. He had confessed once he would never take a wife and I knew why, but Víli was such a part of my heart, I could not betray Víli and love another.

Strangely, that too began to fade. Oh, I still love my Víli, very much so. Only now it was now like a warm, cozy blanket of love that I felt. As if he were telling me to move on. I had important things to do. We would be seeing each other soon enough.

So, when Dwalin pressed his suit with me I was already so in love with him it was simple to say yes. When he proposed to me and I said yes, I knew it was the right thing to do. I need to move forward and Dwalin was my future.  

I felt like many things were soon to be in our future.

**(June 2945)**

* * *

 

**Tauriel’s POV-**  (Kíliel and Kílian are  _chronologically -18 human months_ ,  _3- human years physically_ , and are  _mentally 4 -human years/ Tauriel is 7 months pregnant_ )

With both of them beyond the pain, they found so much happiness in each other. Dwalin made it very clear from day one his goal was to marry her. He had been in love with her his whole life.  He was 12 years younger than her but had always been a close and loyal friend of the family.  Dís being the progressive dwarrow dam that she was did not follow the dwarven custom of not seeing Dwalin for a year as they prepared to wed. Dís had told Dwalin she just needed a little time and then she would be ready to marry him. 

~~*~~

 I was on my way back to our hall after dropping the children off at Mother's for a few hours, so I could get something accomplished today without having to worry about them. As I got closer I noticed Dwalin waiting at our door. “Hi Dwalin, what brings you here? Please won’t you come in and we can talk?”

He came in, took a seat at the island and I gave him a mug of ale as I made tea for myself.  “So, what brings to my hall Dwalin?”

“Ah, well, lass, ya see I’ve been pondering it all and I really wanna to nail this whole marriage thing down. I love courting Dís, but I ken her my whole life. I-I accepted that Vili was a part of her life, and when he passed, her pain was too much for me to ever hold a candle of hope for her hand. So now that this miracle has happened.  I just kenna wait, ya ken?” 

“Yes, actually I do Dwalin. For 600 years I had nothing, but I didn’t know that. Then I met Kíli, and he made me feel so alive and so in love. I wanted him so much. I can understand your yearning to have Dís as your own after such a long time. How can I help you in this endeavor?”

“My thoughts have been towards a family dinner maybe, if it is fine with yeh and the boys, I mean. I wouldnah want yeh to do much more than a nice table setting. I want something that says to Dís that I cherish her, and she is so special to me. I denna wanna go too over the top, ya ken. But I, well…does any of this make sense to yeh?”

“I know exactly what you want Dwalin! And if I know Mother as well as I think I do, then I have the perfect idea for this. Having it here is cozy and yet still romantic. You both will be with the ones you love. Oh, should I invite Balin as well?”

“That would be much-appreciated lass. If I kenna have me Mum and Da here, Balin is my only family.”

“No Dwalin, The dwarves of the company are very much family to us all and the Durins are your family as well. You have been a loyal and a devoted friend to Thorin and Dís. You love my children with all your heart. A heart that won over Dís. So, anyway, I will have a rather fancy over the top meal and dessert, but the hall will be decked out simply like at a family meal. That should get her to wondering. Which I can’t wait to do. She has gotten me so many times.”

“This means the world to me lass. If’n yeh need anything from me, just send a post. But I trust yer brilliant mind to amaze us all.”

He was grinning from ear to ear and I had to laugh, “Well with flattery like that I had better bring my A game.”

“Will two days be enough… or more or less?  I denna ken how this all goes.”

“I will give the menu to the palace kitchen, they will let me know how long it will take and when I would like it prepared and brought to the hall. I will then let you know and you or I or whoever can get Dís here without any suspicion.”

“Lass, that dwarrow dam is the smartest one I’ve ever met. She knows everything! So, I only hope that I can show her that I love and revere her and want to bring her into my life in an elegant way. That I will always give her everything she needs and wants.”

“Write that down Dwalin and use it in your proposal to her. I love it! You have me all choked up here.”

“Well then let me know what the time frame is, I am heading to my hall to think of something sincere and not sappy.”

“You do know you have nothing to worry about, right? Mother will say yes, I am so sure of that.”

“Aye, I ken, Tauriel, but a male will always be a little worried, yeh females are more unpredictable than orcs!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, but don’t ever compare Mother to an orc, it might get you a broken nose!”

He laughed heartily at that, “I’ll remember from now on. OK, I’m off and again my thanks for all that yeh do for us Tauriel. Yeh are a wonderful lass and a bright spot in this mountain.”

“And you have a gilded tongue.” I joked. He laughed and was off again.

~~*~~

I was so excited about all the planning I needed to do, I was doubly grateful Mother had the children. I would be able to fully concentrate on this. Most important was the perfect meal.  Only a prime rib roast would do, a massive one, with all the trimmings. Honey glazed-ginger baby carrots, garlic duchess potatoes, creamed peas with baby pearl onions. What else…?  The soft dinner rolls, everyone loved those, and they would be perfect to get any last bits of meat and gravy off the plates. Dessert would be baked meringue with fruit compote in the middle and whipped cream.

A knock at the door took me by surprise, but when I opened it I wasn’t so surprised anymore. “Tauriel, lass?”

 “Yes, Dwalin, did you think of something else?”

 “Ahm, well, I was jest thinkin’ and if yeh could run it past the boys and if it be alright with yeh, maybe perhaps, I mean if it’s not addin’ teh yeh, I denna wanna overburden yeh…”

I giggled at the poor dwarf’s discomfort. To see him you’d think he would never be nervous and attack any problem head-on, or literally with his head! But he was stumbling all over himself here. I had to rescue him.

 “Dwalin, just spit it out!  You could ask me to light the night sky with wizzpoppers and I’d do it for you!  I can tell whatever you want is important to you, so it is important to me.”

“Ah, lassie yeh are a treasure!  I was wonderin if yeh kenna ask some of the dwarves from the company to come as well. I mean like Nori, Dori, and Ori, as well as Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur?  Umm and maybe Oin and Gloin with his wife and lad?”

If that were the case we’d need to triple the food I chuckled to myself.

“Yes, I will do that, I’ll get in touch with everyone from the company for you, that is not a bother nor a problem!  So, stop worrying yourself sick, your hair will fall out!” He gasped in horror. “Kidding Dwalin, just kidding!! Sorry!”

“Not funny lass,” he mock growled at me as he laughed. “I’ll leave yeh be so yeh can do what yeh do best.”

“If you think of anything else, anything at all, any time day OR NIGHT, send me a post. Promise?”

“Aye, I will lass.”

“Good, now go find Fíli, Kíli, and Thorin. Then drag them to the King’s Inn for a while so I can do this in peace.”

“Just like a female. Gotta rush the males off so yeh can do whatever yeh need.” He barked out a laugh and was gone.

I sent a post to everyone in the company as well as inviting two of Mother’s closest friends and their husbands. Then I got back to the menu.

Such a fancy meal was sure to tip Dís off that something was up. 

It was Thorin that got tagged into coaxing Dís to our hall. When they came in, Dwalin was right there to help her with her shawl. I mouthed to Thorin, “Does she know?” He grinned and rolled his eyes at me. She knew.

The meal was delivered in style and servants set the food on the table for us and then waited on us as we ate. That let me relax and not have to see to everything like drink refills and cleaning up spills of gravy. We had such a truly enjoyable time talking. Sharing general chit chat, with the twins making us laugh at their interjections into the conversation. It was so sweet the way Dís and Dwalin kept looking at each other all through the dinner.  I was sure she knew, and I was pretty sure he knew she knew. After that splendid dessert, we all moved over to the family room where Kíli got a cozy fire going. Everyone felt the anticipation build as Dwalin was waiting for just the right moment.

 The twins were sleepy after such a rich meal, so I held them, and simply followed the conversation. Everyone in the company was busy these days. Kíli teased them that he was the baby of the group and yet he was already married and had children. A lot of gruff coughs and mumbles came from that. I was snickering on the couch at their obvious discomfort at the subject of marriage.

Though Dwalin was looking daggers at him, Kíli was completely unrepentant. I married a goofball, but I loved him so much.

 When the conversation lulled, Dwalin moved around to the front of the chair Dís was seated in and after taking a deep breath, he looked at her. Oh, it was so beautiful to see the love in his eyes as he bore his heart to her and then got down on one knee, presenting Dís with a ring like I had never seen before.  It was huge. It was beautiful.

She cried her eyes out and hauled  _him_  up into her lap, kissed him silly and said, of course, I will marry you.  Dwalin picked her up and swung her around making her squeal with laughter and kissed her back. 

Everyone congratulated them and there were plenty of hugs, stupid jokes, (males, why does marriage terrify them?) and laughter as we celebrated their engagement. I just sat there on the couch a hormonal crybaby, but I felt the joy from Kíliel that she had used her magic to make them both so happy. 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little backtracking here, July 2944 (Bloody freaking timelines LOL)  
> Happy 1st Birthday Kiliel and Kilian  
> You…Whoa…Wait, what?!  
> Culture Shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I introduce a new element into another couple's HEA. I am a huge fangirl of these two and I hope I handled it in a comfortable way. We will see more of them throughout the books. Their full story is around book 5 or 6.  
> I get rather descriptive of the birthday as your child or children only have 1 first birthday. It is huge no matter how many children you have.  
> A quickie bringing in the next set of twins, we have lots more births to go, people, I will only highlight the ones that are important in the whole scheme of the story.

**Tauriel POV-** I could not believe my babies were already almost a full year old. When people say times flies, it never meant anything to me as an elf. Time really has very little meaning to us. But with having dwelves…I blinked, and now a year had gone by! Time for a party! I was confused but more excited than anyone else could think. I spent a good month planning and then set a month aside to hear back from all who I sent invitations to.

**~~*~~**

The twins had met Legolas when they were about 4 months old. They had no idea I had a brother. I had to explain the connection, and that was why they could not ‘feel’ him in their minds.  When he came to our hall the first time, they immediately bespoke him before he had cleared the door, so they could feel his mind and hear him and he them. To say he was suitably impressed was an understatement. All three of them were fascinated with each other. They were excited to have another Uncle to play with.  While Kilian could speak to him in Sindarin, Kiliel only knew a few words, but she had fun playing word games with him.  As was typical of my little dwelves, they had Legolas wrapped around their little fingers. He adored them and by the time he left he truly felt like family to me because of the twins.

It was so different now. My relationship with Legolas had started out as a pesky little sister whom he catered to, that morphed into a deep sense of respect as he saw my dedication as a guard. We were close but never truly bonded. Having him stay with us, changed everything. We felt it in our minds and hearts. It was strange for both of us, but neither one of us would ever deny the joy we now felt as brother and sister.

 He and Kíli were hilarious together. He was a bit more reserved with Fíli and held Thorin in high esteem. He was happy to visit with the company as they had time to drop by, but he and Gloin’s son, Kíli’s cousin Gimli, for some reason the two of them just got prickly around each other. Not in a nasty way, more like silly little jibes about each other’s race and customs.

“OK _Gwanur_ , spill it!” (a brother who is not my kinsman, but is of my heart)

 “I have no idea what you are talking about,” he tried to look innocent…and failed. 

“I mean what is up with you and Gimli? When you are with him you are actually rather, well, goofy. It is very odd to see you so relaxed and jesting. My whole life I have never seen another elf laugh. It is almost… unnerving.”

“' _Gwathel_ , (sworn sister, not of my blood, but of my heart), I’m 2,857-years-old (not that I’m counting mind you). As the crown prince, royal elven culture has been hammered into my head for so long it is simply second nature to not laugh or show my emotions. I’m changing though as I spend more time away from Father and the palace, and more time among other races.  The times I have spent here with these dwarves of Erebor, especially the royal family, I see such a drastic difference.  There is so much love and laughter among you all, the twins are free to simply be children and explore and learn. Things you and I did not have the luxury of enjoying. Although with all the pranks you pulled, I am surprised father let you live,” he chuckled

“As I explore the mountain and observe the people, they have become used to me, and are not guarded. I am greeted with my rank but in a way that shows a desire to be friendly, not groveling. I hear laughter all over. I must say to you that with Gimli, he fascinates me. He seems to think that as I am a prince, I am somehow supposed to be haughty, condescending and demeaning to dwarves and he is simply waiting for me to show my true colors if you will.  Granted I have only known him a short while, so I must go under the assumption all he has heard of me is from his sire. I am trying to prove to him I am more than what he thinks I am. For the strangest reason, I want to be his friend. Perhaps it is the challenge, I do not know for certain. But I like him, and he makes me laugh.  I think that is what started all this. He was grousing about me and I made some remark or another in jest and he tried so hard to find insult in it but could not, so he simply insulted me back. I wanted to see his reaction to an open jesting insult and while he did bristle I could tell he was enjoying this as much as I. Should I apologize for being poor company?”

 I had to laugh as he did not understand dwarven customs. I said, “Legolas if you had truly insulted Gimli in any way, you two would have been sword and battle ax.  No, when a dwarf is insulted, he will in no uncertain terms let you know.”

“Perhaps, he was just being polite because I am a relative?”

“Nope! Not even that. Fíli and Kíli used to have near-death battles when they were younger if one insulted the other. To a dwarf, a personal insult is a declaration to fight. Gimli seems to find you very interesting. He told Kíli that you are not, and I quote, ‘some namby-pamby, wood sprite that prances in the trees and hasn’t any gender.’”

Legolas lost it!  He was laughing so hard he was crying as he rolled on his side on the couch. He was clutching his sides and covering his mouth he was laughing so hard. When he finally got himself under control and was just chuckling, he commented, “Well, I guess on my next visit I will have to show him some of my talents. I may not be able to swing a battle ax, but I think he’d find my skill with a bow impressive.”

I had no clue what to say to that. While Legolas was acting peculiar to me when it came to Gimli. Gimli had Kíli and Fíli scratching their heads over how he was acting. They almost had heart attacks when he called Legolas a ‘pointy-eared, tree hugging, leaf eater.’ Then it was my turn to pale when Legolas’ retort was that Gimli was a ‘rufous mole, that spent his time with the worms and bats’.”

They glared rather menacingly at each other for a few tense moments, then they both cracked up at each other!

“Laddie, yeh had better come up with some better insults when next yeh visit because I will be working on insults worthy of an elf like yehrself.”

 I could only shake my head in bafflement.  Males!

~*~A week before the birthday party~*~

“I will be visiting more often now that I have the time. The restless evil that was Mirkwood is gone, and the Greenwood is back, so I am want to see more of Middle Earth than just the Greenwood. Plus, it seems I will have a plethora of _Gwanûn_ (twin sets) in a few years to meet and get to know. I want them to know me, as little Kiliel and Kilian now ‘know my mind’, as they say, it.”

“Don’t worry too much about that, the twins will show the new babies your face and who you are and how much fun you are. The newest ones will know your mind through the twins.”

\----

“What of you though, Legolas?  I know you are still young, but has Thranduil put pressure on you to produce an heir?”

“Thankfully no!”

“Tauriel, I wish you to keep what I am about to say to only us.”

Now that made me very curious! “I promise I can do that, I have proven my loyalty.”

“Time and again you have both as a sister and a warrior. I simply must come to understand something that living in Mirkwood my whole life and Father raising us to loathe dwarves, it was never a thought in my mind. But, as I have spent time with the dwarves here, the humans in Dale and your family…there is something I realize but am confused by.”

“What is it?”

“You knew, did you not, the moment you saw Kíli, that he was your soul mate?”

“Well, all I knew was I felt a fascination like nothing I had ever known. How he looked. The energies he sent out. All pulled at me and drew me to him. I didn’t know at that moment what it was and as you remember things happened so fast. But I must say that yes, almost immediately there was desire and attraction. Which of course seemed utterly ridiculous. He was a dwarf of all things, why would I feel that a dwarf was my soulmate?  But I could not stay away, and I had to help them, all of the company. It took a day or two for me to admit I loved him, that he was indeed my soulmate. I had no idea if dwarves had such a thing and if they did, was it like us. That we would never want another?” I smiled at my memories.

“So, what does this have to do with you, Legolas?”

“Simply put, I feel that pull to Gimli, I felt it the first time I came to the mountain and met him. Perhaps that was why we spent so much time sparring with words and insults. I was confused but drawn to him, and had no idea how to talk to him. He may have felt this same interest and confusion.”

My jaw dropped. “But, he’s male.”

“Believe me, I am well aware of that, and that is why I am confused. I never felt the pull and draw of a soulmate. But I am positive that is what this is. I do not know what to do. He will never accept me, and I did not even know males could feel a soulmate draw to other males. I knew humans have something like this, but it is not quite like a soulmate. They love and care for each other, but it is not a life bond, at least that I know of.”

“Brother, amongst the dwarves, it is very common for males to couple with other males. With the dwarves, a soulmate is called Their One. All that I have learned is that some males simply live together as companions and shield brothers, but not Their One.  I will look deeper into this because intimacy is very private and sacred. I may have just not been privy to such information.  Gimli may simply see you as a shield brother or if males do have soulmates, then he may be putting on this act to test you out. He was born in Ered Luin and knew very little of elves. Many dwarves still only know the basics of acceptable polite behavior.  I know this may be more confusing than helping.”

“No, I feel strongly that this is meant to be, as odd as it is. You and Kíli have gotten to know each other better over the years, correct?”

“Yes, and also, we never fight. We may have a difference of opinion, and I have found I get rather snarky at times in my pregnancies. But we talk a lot, we work things out. We compromise. That is part of having a One. It is not common, but it does happen. I would think just as I felt an immediate draw to Kíli and he felt it to me, but that you only knew Gimli two days and feelt the drawing of a soulmate is not odd at all. He most likely feels the draw and is just as confused. If this all works out and you do pair with him as soulmates, you will grow to know each other.” I laughed saying, “and probably squabble like old dwarrow dams for eternity.”

“Tauriel! He’s. Oh, gods! He’s, not immortal! ”

“Legolas calm down! The twins may be young but if you will recall, they made Kíli immortal in utero. They can make Gimli immortal as well. That is not a worry at all brother!”

He let out a huge gust of air and sank back into the couch. Rubbing his face and then breathing a few more times.

“Will you help me Tauriel?  I need to know if Gimli is indeed my soulmate. The thought of leaving this mountain without him…hurts and frightens me.”

“OK, you are here for the party at least correct?”

“I am. I will stay as long as needed to understand all this.”

“Then I will ask some of the older family members (no not Gloin-oh gods that is going to be interesting!) of these things not bringing up elves until I have enough information to ask someone. I will handle this delicately and you will know soon.”

“Either way, even if he simply wants to be shield brothers, I cannot walk away from him.”

“I understand that very well, Legolas. So how about we plan the party for the twins and I will find out any information I can. We will have the party and then we can get down to brass tacks and find the answers you need. It will give you and Gimli more time to ‘feel each other out’, I guess I would say.  I did not marry Kíli for 6 weeks after we met.  For an elf, that is a very long time to have your soulmate and not consummate the relationship.”

“That seems to be a plan of action I can try and handle. I am pulled so deeply, but I will do all I can to let you find out cultural taboos and such. So…let’s plan my niece and nephew’s first birthday!”

“That sounds ideal!”

**~~*~~**

I had made friends when I first came to Ered Luin. Dís was a wonderful help with that. Now that we were in the mountain, I wanted to meet more dams and maids my age equivalent and who were young mothers. It was actually Thorin who helped me in this area. Dís had explained my dilemma to him. That I was missing the company of females my age and with my interests. As an elf, it was technically for me to adjust to the dwarven custom of staying in Kíli’s hall until I was done having children and raising them.

Well, everyone knew I planned on a large family, as well as the fact that if Kíli had ever tried to put his foot down and make me stay in ‘OUR’ hall, I would have stepped very hard on said foot and did as I pleased anyway.  But we had figured on our wedding night it would not be like that for us. 

All this led to Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli speaking with some of the younger males about allowing Dís and several guards to escort their wives to our hall and for me to be able to visit their halls so I could have friends and the children could have playmates. Three of the males they spoke to asked their wives and they were more than thrilled at the idea, which rather shocked their husbands. The Dwarrow dams simply said it was boring and frustrating and exhausting to just stay in their hall. They wanted to go out into the mountain. There were enough guards and no other male in his right mind would pester a female to whom he was not related to.

From that point on, I began to see more and more Dwarrow Dams and escorted Dwarrow maids in the market and about the mountain. Soon they were selling wares in the market. Food stalls became very popular as the maids tempted shoppers with their culinary skills.

The twins had six playmates. Three approximately their age in dwarven years, two a bit older than that. Also, one who was almost a tween, but loved playing with the littles.  For the party though, more mothers and children would be coming that Dís and my friends would introduce me to. Along with many of the company, and various other friends, all to celebrate the next generation of the Line of Durin.

There were certain dwarves that Thorin felt obligated to invite. He came over one evening to play with the twins. “Tauriel, I hate to ask this of you, and I am being quite firm when I say that it is entirely up to you as the mother, but there are some dwarves that, well, it’s political and ridiculous as the twins are not of Fíli’s line…but are strongly hinting it would be favorable if they and their families were also invited.  I hate doing this. I am the king, my word should be final.”

I interrupted him saying, “Thorin, I lived in the palace of Mirkwood, I understand more than you could ever imagine, how court politics work. Even Thranduil, as fabulous as he saw himself, knew how to dance the fires of court politics. I know it is tricky not to step on toes that could be a problem later on.   
I am fine with this, as long as they bear no ill will towards us. I will not have the children in any danger. I have yet to meet a dwarf who would cause a problem, but I have heard enough whispers to be careful.”

“I pledge to you Tauriel if they try anything at all; they are dead. I am quite serious!”

**~~*~~**

We had the party in the largest of the dining halls. It was decorated exquisitely and yet still childlike fun. Kilian loved the color green, so we had many green decorations. Kiliel loved of all colors, white. Considering how dirty she could get…  So, we had a nice blending of white as well. As it was summer, hundreds of centerpieces of greens and white baby’s breath decorated the tables. The plates were white and the chargers green and every other napkin was either white or green. I have no idea who whittled all the tiny white ponies and green grasshoppers, but I was nearly bawling when I saw them.  That was not easy to do and yet someone did this for my children to make their day special. I would have to find out who if I could.

As these were dwarves, there was silver and gold in the décor as well. Kíli held me tight as we took it all in.  Tomorrow was the big day, so the twins would see all this in the afternoon. Dís and Fíli saw me all blubbering and came over to hug me. I saw out of the corner of my eye Thorin grinning like he was up to something he could hardly hold in.  There really was nothing more for us to do tonight, so we went home and got the twins settled in bed.

**Kíli’s POV-** I know to Tauriel time did not have the same meaning as it did to mortals. It still had not sunk in that I was immortal, so time moved as it always did. I had to kiss her like crazy and get her laughing when it dawned on her it was only three months to the twins first birthday. She had ‘plans on top of plans, and how did time go by so fast’.”

“Is this franticness what you felt before you become immortal amrâlimê? That you simply can’t get enough done in one day and suddenly a year has nearly gone passed? I am honestly almost frightened by this feeling of time moving. Kíli, I can’t understand it.”

I felt so bad for her. I had no idea who to ask. Mother was able to at least calm her down when she came to play with the twins while Tauriel was having her breakdown. I only knew of one elf, on what I would call, a friendly basis. Most of the elves I worked with were cordial. Findan was a bit more relaxed so I hoped he could help me.

“Kíli, the best thing for the princess is to keep her busy. With the dwelves, there is nothing you can do to make time ever feel as it did when she was Thranduil’s captain of the royal guard.”

“I don’t understand Findan.”

“Let me think a moment. OK, I have an idea. If you were to find a leaf that was very colorful and had an unusual shape, how long would you look at it?  Would you study it and wonder about? How the colors came to be in that particular blending, what made the leaf have this unusual shape? How long did it take the tree to grow to make this leaf in particular?”

I just stared at him a little dumbstruck. “Uh, it’s just a leaf Findan, I would admire the colors and unusual shape for a few minutes if it was particularly interesting, but that would be all, why do you ask the questions like that?”

“You see Kíli, for an elf, this leaf would be of such interest, we would spend months pondering all the questions. The leaf would dry and crumble and still for maybe another ten years we would simply ponder that one leaf. A thousand years means nothing to us. I am over 4,000 years and I have only begun to comprehend how the rest of the world sees time.

  I understand the princess’s confusion. Normally, an elfling at 1 year is complete, they simply will grow in size and knowledge for a thousand years. We are considered adults at 100, but not truly mature until one thousand. Then we are accepted as marriageable. So, for the princess to have her children reach this age growth in only 365 days, is so close to being beyond her comprehension of how it happened.

She had no time to ponder and study and think about every change, all the milestones in the dwelves lives. For her, it feels like one second she had given birth, then blinked and now here her newborns are so developed and mature.

I imagine she is a bit frightened, even knowing they are immortal, as she does not know how they will mature and when they will reach each milestone to come. She has no time to understand one milestone before two more have come and gone.  It will take time, pardon the pun, but if your family can help her feel each milestone and spend days talking about it and let her simply watch the children. That may help her adjust. I wish you the best. I am always here for you my friend.”

“Would it be proper if I may ask, that you visit us and, I guess, um,…”

“Explain this to her? Yes, I would be honored to do this. Perhaps, explaining it in Sindarin will also help. She has so immersed herself into the dwarven culture, I wonder if she is perhaps forgetting what it is to be an elf?”

“I am grateful Findan. I think I may just take some time with her and go to Lothlórien again.”

“That would be an excellent idea.”

~~*~~

When we asked the twins what they wanted for their birthday Kiliel immediately shrieked, “ **A PONY!**!!!!” Tauriel was terrified to have her on a pony even though physically she was about the size of a 2 ½ -3-year-old human. There were plenty of palfrey style ponies that were tiny. This was going to take some cooperation on everyone’s part to convince Tauriel. I never wanted to have spoiled children, but Kiliel was beyond insistent, she was obsessed. She began drawing them and talking non-stop about them and playing with her wooden pony as if it were real.

“Amrâlimê, let’s just go down to the stables so you can see how tiny the ponies are. I won’t lie to you. At least just look, then you'll know with confidence however you choose it's the best choice for Kiliel.”

“I’m not at all liking this Kíli, you're going to try and talk me into this with your puppy dog eyes.”

“Would I ever stoop so low?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, yeah, you’re right. I would. But I won't this time. I want YOU to make this decision for Kiliel.”

“So I can be the bad guy when I tell her no pony?”

“Did I say that?”

“Kíli, I have been married to you long enough that is what you are doing.”

At least she was grinning at me now. I took her hand and left the twins with mother in our hall. When we got to the stables, I took her right to the miniature ponies.

I won.

“Oh!!! Kíli!, Oh Kíli they are so tiny, are they babies?”

“No love, they are full grown. They live about 30 or 40 years so whatever she picks out can grow with the other children.”

“I-I, I can’t pick. They are so fluffy!! Have you ever seen such beautiful eyes?”

“Hey, I thought you said I had beautiful eyes?” I was a bit miffed in a silly way

“You do, but these tiny ponies…Oh, Kíli, I want all of them, I can’t pick!” 

I laughed at her and said, “You sound like Kiliel!”

“Would it be a wise idea to let her pick?”

“NO!!  Then she will want all of them and I can’t say no to her.” I got the stink eye for that and I laughed.

“Fine, then let me sit here for a bit and watch them, I want a nice gentle one for her.”

“Tarok?” I shouted. The ponies spooked a little…oops!

“Kíli, Kiliel will have to learn to be calm and quiet or she will scare the poor thing.”

Tarok, the stable master came over and scolded me. “Yeh havn’nah changed ta bit laddie since ye were small. Still loud and proud ye are. Naw, what kinna I do for yeh?”

“Well it will be princess Kiliel’s first birthday soon, and…”

“…The lass wanted a pony, eh?  Maids will all be the same, ya ken? OK then me boy, I will take the best of the lot and show them off for ye and Princess Tauriel.”

It took Tauriel a long time to choose, but Tarok, was very pleased with the questions she asked and that she was an accomplished horsewoman herself. Tauriel finally settled on a sweet-tempered gelding that would probably be fat in a month from Kiliel giving him treats.

He was a handsome fellow though. I didn’t know much about ponies. As a rule, dwarves preferred our own pedal power over a pony, ram or boar. At least the menfolk. Tarok gave me the lowdown on how the Dwarrow maids and Dwarrow Dams loved to go riding. Mother had encouraged this and now he was having to add to his staff.

From the way, Tarok spoke the pony had an excellent conformation so Kiliel would still grow proper herself. His colors were sure to endear him to her. He was almost pure white except his head, which was completely black, with a white circle in the middle between his eyes. He had a mild temperament and didn’t spook easy. So, we now owned a pony. Yay…

\----

Kilian was a bit tougher. He wanted lots of books and new puzzles and crayons and paints and could he have clay or colored dough and he wanted a real sword. That surprised both of us. Aaaand Kiliel now wanted one too so she could go to battle like Grandfather on her pony. Oh Mahal and these were just our first two?!  Plus, she wanted to be like me and Tauriel and have a bow. Kilian got miffed she interrupted him and started shouting over her (NOT a smart move when Kiliel could out screech a giant eagle).

**“CHILDREN!”**

Two pairs of eyes got huge and two dwelves got really quiet really fast. That was Tauriel’s ‘Mamma’ voice.

“This whole idea can simply be called off if you are not mature enough yet. You are the first dwelves, so I don’t know if you actually are mature enough. Maybe we will have to wait another full year?”

I knew where this was going so I calmly said, “Kiliel, Kilian…what do you need to say to each other and to Mamma?”

“Sorry” in unison with plenty of tears.  A plate of cookies and some chocolate milk and we were now calmly discussing it.

~~*~~

Party Time

The twins were up so early on their birthday that when Tauriel and I woke up, they were sleeping on the floor in front of our door! We stepped over them and picked out comfortable and yet cute outfits that matched. Once they woke up and sleepily came out for breakfast, we wished them a happy birthday.  They were still sleepy but so happy. I honestly think they had no clue of what all was going to happen, and we would have to drug them to sleep tonight.

They had bathed the night before but needed some work on brushing and braiding their hair. Half an hour before the party Mother and Dwalin stopped by to wish them a happy birthday and told them they would see them at the party. Fíli was next, and he helped me get a squirming, mad as a wet hen, Kilian into his outfit. Fíli hit the wall and slid down it laughing his arse off, when Kilian shouted, “I look like a doof!”

Change of plans, no matching outfits. Some cotton trousers in black, a green cotton tunic that he finally decided was not too stupid. Then soft court boots that I knew would be off his feet in two minutes once we got there.

Kiliel, on the other hand, was an absolute diva and properly primped and powdered (I’m quoting her here) and ready for her, 'dehboo’. Fíli had to turn around and try to snort to himself. By Mahal’s beard, they took after me.

Finally!

The guards slowly opened the doors to the dining hall and for about thirty seconds the twins were speechless. Then at a speed, no dwarf could ever hope to achieve they took off full tilt screaming with joy. Way to make an entrance kids! Tauriel and Fíli were in hysterics as Dwalin and Mother tried to corral the two of them. Dwalin eventually got Kilian and Mother had to have said something because Kiliel was now walking daintily and nodding to the dwarves and elves. Bofur and Thorin came over at that point. “Hey Kíli, cute kids.”

“Bofur, stuff it!” Uncle Thorin was simply chortling and I rolled my eyes, then went in search of the head table, I was starving. It took about 15 minutes to get everyone settled and drinks served.

I hated this next part.

“I want to thank one and all for joining us today to celebrate our first year with the twins.” Right on cue, they bounced up in their chairs and waved like crazy, making everyone laugh.

“Yes, thank you Kiliel and Kilian. We hope you enjoy yourselves. We will have lunch and then drinks, after that the children will open the gifts we have given them, _‘please be prepared to cover your ears when I give the signal and be glad we are in a mountain without glass windows’,_ while the children enjoy their gifts we have a magnificent cake the royal kitchen has prepared for us to all make gluttons of ourselves on. So without further ado, let’s eat.

Music was being played softly in the background, a mixture of elven and dwarven children’s songs. The children wolfed down their _pulser,_ a very mild type of sausage that was boiled and a favorite among dwarflings, cheesy noodles, and fried potato sticks. They nibbled the carrots and celery sticks. The adults had cured sausage soaked in ale and roasted along with deep fried rice balls with a cheesy center, and sautéed mushrooms.

Kiliel didn’t care what the cake tasted like as long as it was white, Kilian didn’t care what color it was as long as it tasted like mint.  This was going to be weird.

\----

When everyone was suitable stuffed to the gills, teas, ales, and juices were served as the children began to open their gifts. Kiliel was completely perplexed at the funny hat, odd boots, and clothes. Kilian was over the moon at all the things he had asked for. We knew he would want to ride the pony once he saw Kiliel on it, so we had commissioned the same supplies only for a male, but he would get those later.  We were also ready to calm her down and give the ‘share talk’ again.

“I am giving everyone fair warning to cover your ears at this point as we give Kiliel her final gift for her special day.”

Thorin lead the pony out into the dining hall. The pony, not Thorin, was decked out with a huge silver bow on its silver bridal and silver accented saddle. Sure enough, the sound Kiliel made had the pony lay back its ears and give her the stink eye. She was next to it in a second apologizing to it and then promised she would never do that again to it.

“Do you have a name picked out for him yet sweetie?”

 “Milton!”

 “Milton?!  Why Milton Kiliel, what kind of name is that?” 

“It’s his name, Mamma.”

 “How do you know?”

 “He told me, and he does not like Guron one bit, so he hopes I will call him Milton.” 

I was…I just nodded and said, “Sure. Uh, Hi Milton.”

The pony actually nodded at me!!

**May 2945**

**Tauriel’s POV-** After the insanity of the twins’ birth, I was not going through that again.  So Kíli and I took a trip to Lothlórien and I spoke with several elves who directed me to a midwife. Not only did she know how to do a pain block for the contractions but showed us how to have Kíli sit behind me while I pushed, he would push with me, so I was only doing half the work. She showed me as well how to help the twins develop faster with my healing magic and be physically as developed as a single baby only smaller.  

I wanted to kiss the woman.  I told Kíli he was to commission the most perfect starlight jewel necklace he could and send it to her as a thank you from a very grateful mother and father to be.  He had it ready in a month and she sent a very beautiful letter back to me in thanks.  I also found many of the foods I had been craving to the point of crying there and stocked up on all of them.  We barely had room in our hitch to bring all the stuff back.  Plus, I ordered several maternity outfits and regular clothes while we were there to be delivered to the palace.  I knew the dwarrow dams at the palace could do it as well, but it just felt like I was treating myself having elves do it.

With only 6 weeks to go to the birth, I told Kíli on the ride back to Erebor we had to finalize names for the new twins.  Just like with Kíliel and Kílian, we came up with the names Gaelan and Gaeliel and simply could not think of any other names.  I hoped it would work again and be a boy and a girl.  I like it a lot having one of each.  They liked the names, so I took it as a sign.  I didn’t get as crazy this time with the nesting thing like I did the first time.  I just cleaned up the cribs and ordered baby clothes.  I would use the hand me downs as play clothes seeing as Kíliel was so rough on her clothes.  Plus, we received many sweet gifts from the people of Erebor welcoming the next new prince and princess when the twins were born. 

Mother said they did this every time.  I said maybe they would get sick of doing it after I had eight or ten children.  She just laughed.  She said that Thorin had gotten the word out to the dwarves about the prophecy and he had heard from Bard in Dale that the humans had been made aware of it as well.  I knew that the elves knew. While in Lothlórien we got many questions from sometimes perfect strangers who saw a very pregnant elf woman, arm and arm with a very proud dwarf male and would excuse themselves to ask us questions about it.  We were more than happy to answer them.

**July 2945**

I started having mild contractions a week before the due date, so I put the pain block up just to be ready.  Like clockwork on the due date I felt the muscles contracting but no pain.  I was euphoric!  Kíli got Mother and she brought helpers again. Kíli and I had talked a lot with her about what we wanted to do this time now that we had a clue of what to expect.  Fíli came over and would watch the twins with Dwalin during the birthing.

 Kíli was going to help me push, I was going to do this naked, modesty be damned, I was not going to sweat myself silly and ruin another shift.  We had a birthing blanket to save the bed and mother had acquired a set of stirrups for me to put my feet in that clamped to the end of the bed and would help me push better. 

So, with everything in place and my contractions a minute apart I got on the bed with a lot of help and Kíli got behind me with a backrest and a ton of pillows.  Mother had him take his tunic off so when she handed him the babies they would be able to smell him and bond like Kíliel and Kílian did.  It was a complete 180 from the insanity of the twins’ birth.  It went smoothly, and it took about an hour all together.  Once Gaelan came out, Gaeliel just popped out a minute later.  Having Kíli help me push left me with more energy to focus on the babies after we were all done and resting.

 Once I took the pain block off I was rather tender like before, but the cold compresses Mother gave me helped tremendously.  We were prepared with a stool in the shower this time.  It didn’t hurt that I wasn’t dead tired and in pain either.  Mother and Kíli did get soaked again though but this time she brought a change of clothes.  Once I had fed the new babies, Mother went out and brought everyone in.  Thorin had stopped by when he went to Dís and Dwalin’s and they were not home.  He figured it had to be time.  So, we had the whole gang there to welcome the new little ones.  Kíliel was beside herself with joy to be with them again. It took us all a minute to figure that out, but it surprised us when we realized what she meant.  She and Kílian mind spoke and verbal spoke with them and they were happy to be held by their brother and sister.  Kíliel said she couldn’t wait for the next babies! It had been too long since she was with them.  We all laughed, and I told her it wouldn’t be that long.

**~~*~~**

**Legolas' POV-** Tauriel had been very discreet and polite in finding answers for me and my dilemma with Gimli.  It took her about a month to find out all I needed to know to face him.  We had been together almost every day. He helped Thorin and his father in matters of security.  

We had been in the arena as it was actually cooler in there and Gimli had been showing me battle ax techniques.  I knew I did not have the brute strength he did, but he was very impressed with my bow skills. I actually blushed as he gushed compliments.

"Gimli, is there a place we may talk with strong privacy?"

"Aye, I know of a place. What do ye have in mind?"

"Will you wait until we get there?"

"If that's what ye'd like, then let's go."

It was an amazing walk within the mountain, then out to a kind of garden wall and a balcony.

"So laddie, what is on yer mind, tis seeming to have ye in a fiddle twist."

"I have no way to say this with the grace and sophistication I wish, so I will simply say this to you, as I have an idea of your feelings on this matter."

"Yeh, sure are long winded if yer jist gettin' teh the point." He was grinning at my awkwardness, he knew.

I smiled and said you are my One, I am sure of it. I am sure you feel the same, but what I do not know is what you wish to do about this. We hardly know each other, and I am extremely positive your parents and my father will have collective apoplexy when we announce this. What is your wish, How would you want to handle this?"

"Well, as ye have said, Legolas, I've known since I smacked eyes on ye, that ye were my One. I was rather flabbergasted and downright stumped. When ye left that first time I felt like my heart had left my chest and I could not breathe. That assured me I was correct. I figured if Kili and Tauriel could be each other's One, then why not us. I have been more inclined to males, and yer feistiness was intriguing to me. An elf who laughed and joked. I could not let ye go this time. So I am glad you approached me as I was going to myself."  

I remembered how Tauriel told me to word this properly, "I am your One Gimli son of Gloin, will you accept me?" He seemed quite pleased with me and I was rather proud I got that all out without stumbling

"Legolas, Prince of the woodland realm and son of Thranduil King of the woodland realm. I accept you as my One. Will ye have me as your One that we may be bound for the eternities Mahal and _Sulladad_   (Secret language for Eru) have given us?"

"I accept this with all my heart Gimli!"

Even though we had just declared our love for each other it was a rather awkward first hug.  It felt so good though, my heart was so strong in my love for him.  We made plans to travel Middle Earth, there were things both of us yearned to see.  So I told Tauriel of my plans, Gimli ran roughshod over his father. His mother, Bala, was the sweetest Dwarrow dam to accept me as her only child's One. She was thrilled Gimli had found his One and not only that but a prince as well. I did not want to mislead her so I simply said nothing when it came to the fact that if I came out of this with my rank intact it would be a miracle.

What shocked the stockings off both Gimli and myself was after we had said our goodbyes to one and all and had been a day or so into our travels, old Gandalf appeared and wished to travel with us. It took him a full day to finally get to the point. That I would indeed remain heir to the woodland realm and that I would be expected to produce an heir of my own body. Gimli and I were baffled.  Gandalf chuckled and said, you two will become four and a future from that union will bring much to Middle-earth.

So Gimli and I knew that we would also find co-mates to bear children. We had no idea how long that would be, I hoped not for a long time, I wanted to get to know my One better first. He was everything I had ever wanted in a companion and lover. He was feisty and sassy and gruff. He was tender, and poetic and truly very mushy at heart. We both were very happy as we traveled. Often sending ravens to Father, Tauriel and Gimli's family. 

I did not know he was a cousin to Kili and Fili and his father was a cousin to Thorin. Gimli explained he was of the house of Durin not the Line of Durin. Not that it mattered much to me, but in dwarven custom, I took his name but combined it with my own, Legolas Durin-Greenleaf. Gimli did the same and that pleased me very much.  

So off we went as we bid farewell to Gandalf and moved forward to see the wonders of Middle-earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you getting to love out little dwelves? More to come soon! The next chapter will deal with simple day to day life and things that are typical of children of any race.


	13. The Durin's Daily Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overall about 6 months in the lives of Kili and Tauriel, with the children. It is simply life with sometimes simple problems that make having children worth all the sleepless nights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I owe you all an explanation as to why I have been in absentia for so long.  
> I ended the new year with a pop-literally!! I had two rotten molars that I have been suffering in agony with for five months, finally reach a point I was going to dig them out myself.  
> So I spent New Year's Eve at the emergency dentist have two molars pulled. The poor dentist had a broken foot and was trying to do the extraction sitting down. When she pulled the first tooth out it went down my throat and I started choking. She flipped that chair up so fast and was pounding on my back until I coughed the thing up!  
> The next tooth she did standing on one foot LOL  
> I left blissfully numb for the first time in five months and took a long overdue nap.  
> problem 1- I woke up and the novocaine had worn off. I was in screaming pain. a different kind of pain but I still wanted to scream. 2- I was not given any painkillers and seeing as I have been taking about 32,000 (yes thousand) mg of Tylenol a day, she told me to just cut back on the Tylenol. She'll see me in a month.  
> So now I am in agony with my gums throbbing (Wearing a CPAP mask does not help) and I have been eating the same tv dinner for 5 months as it is so soft. I want food I can chew!  
> All this has made even thinking about writing impossible other than a few grammar corrections when the Tylenol is working. I can't even read anything longer than 3,000 words, I just can't concentrate through the pain. I have gel packs I use but overall. It has been, 'suck it up buttercup'.  
> I am the worlds biggest wimp with pain over my shoulders. Below, I can suffer it out like you wouldn't believe. but my neck and head. I am a puddle of wimpiness.  
> I will do my very best to work on the next chapter as it brings in elements of book three, "All for Love" Fili's HEA into it as well as more family life. It is not until book 3 that we see any real drama. I wanted to spend some time letting you get to know "MY Durin's". So that is pretty much book 2.  
> I have no quiet time to write as we have insane schedules and most of us just nap as we can't sleep a full 8 hours due to pain or ADHD.  
> I have so many stories that need writing!  
> Every time I see a cabin ensconced in the woods with a mountain of snow and no way in our out, I want to be there so bad with my computer and every flavor herbal tea I own (I have a 10 gallon tote of tea boxes-I love tea) and just write all day and all night to peacefully relaxing Youtube nature music. No other human beings or animals.  
> Ahh, well. One can dream. 
> 
> So have a read, as usual please even if it is a "cool story" comment, I am like a puppy begging for treats LOL I hope you enjoy this, that my writing is better and we can keep moving before next month when they pull either two more teeth or ALL my teeth and I am a Bumble until I can get implants. I have babbled on, but you must be used to this by now, right?

**Durin Daily Life**

**Kíli’s POV** \- We had just gotten all four children to bed. Even with the chronological age difference, we found at this age of 2 years _(4 physically/ 5 mentally)_ for Kílian and Kíliel, and 4 months _(12 months physically/ 20 months mentally)_ for Gaelan and Gaeliel they went to bed much better at the same time.

They all ended up in the same bed every morning, so we just pushed the twins bed together with Gaelan and Gaeliel’s, putting a thick pad under the sheets, and they just all cuddled together.

Of course, the two littles woke the older two up at the crack of dawn every day.

 I will never tell Tauriel, but I think children are part energy sucking slugs! Everyone got a laugh at how tired Tauriel and I were all the time.

But tonight, as I held Tauriel while we stared at the children sleeping, and did a little mental math, I began to wonder if she was ready to have the final set of twins.

_“Amrâlimê_?” I whispered.

“Hmm, what love?”

 “Let’s go to our room, I have a question for you.”

 “OK.”

Once we had changed and I had her properly snuggled, I asked the question.

“I know as a male it’s not really my place to ask, but seeing as the littles are now 4 months, well, I was kind of wondering if, you know…If you were ready to see how we’ll do with 6 children?”

“Kíli, it’s a joint decision love. Yes, I am the one carrying them, but they are a part of you, and you have a say in how we raise them as well as when we’ll have them. Always, love. I had wanted to have them all be two years apart, but we’ve been so tired, I just wasn’t sure if you were ready. As well as I didn’t want you to feel like I was pushing you.”

We both laughed and at the same time said, “Communication.”

“I am ready Kíli, I know how tired we are, but Kíliel is driving me crazy with asking me a bazillion times a day if I am going to give her, her last brother and sister soon. She insists they are a boy and girl and she simply can’t wait for them to be back with her again, she misses them.”

“Wow, that’s really strange! I’ve never heard her ask before.”

“I asked her about that. She says she feels bad when your face turns purple!”

Tauriel busted up laughing so hard at my ‘sexual prudishness’ around the children.  I couldn’t help it. I just got tongue tied and my brains addled as I tried to figure how to word it at their level.

I grabbed her and pushed up her night shift and blew a dozen or so wet, sloppy raspberries all over her, making her squeal and pull at my hair.  Now THAT, made me completely forget what the whole conversation as I straddled her and began to kiss her mouth.

Instant silence, and then soft sighs. When I moved my tongue into her mouth to caress hers I got a nice moan out of her. I loved the sounds of pleasure she made. Speaking as a male, it did a lot for my ego.

When I began to kiss her jaw and neck she stuttered, “Yes…babies…now…Kíli!”

That’s all I needed to hear as I began to grind my hips against hers making her arch her back, so she could feel me harden.  I got her shift off and moved to her breasts. She was pulling and fisting my hair the way that turned me on completely. Moaning my name as I sucked her breasts and gently nipped them.

“Gods woman, you are so perfect. Just you being you arouses me,” I said, as I moved down her belly and then softly nipped her hip bones.  She was sighing and arching her back, whispering my name and how much she needed me.

Even though she was technically already pregnant that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to make love to her any different than the first time we made the babies in that little cave. This was special. 

Tauriel had sent Kíliel and Kílian to mothers when we made Gaelan and Gaeliel.

This was so spontaneous, and we had just agreed to release the next set, that it all flowed from conversation to lovemaking.

I opened her after spending a good amount of time teasing her by just nuzzling her red curls and nipping her inner thighs. Her scent was so incredible. I was being a tad selfish in getting her so aroused that when I would taste her, I would really taste her.

I ran my tongue up the glistening folds and my eyes nearly rolled in my head. She cried out and yanked my hair, driving my arousal up further. I worked her with my tongue and fingers until she screamed while arching into her orgasm.

I quickly moved up, pulling my sleep trousers off, and after a couple of tries, was able to push into her making her cry out my name again.

“Kíli, make love to me. I want more of your children!”

Who was I to deny my wife when she put it that way? Like I was going to stop anyhow! I chuckled to myself.

When we were finally spent, I had a new set of scratch marks down my back and on my bottom. We were breathing normally again, so I kissed the tip of her nose just as she yawned, and it messed up her yawn. She swatted me and giggled.

“Well at least the lovemaking was satisfying, if not my yawn,” she groused playfully

She sleepily looked at me and asked, “Are you ready Amrâlimê?”

I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt as I kissed her deeply and touched her forehead, “Yes, amrâlimê, let’s have two more babies.”

She stared at me for a moment and then smiled and asked, “Do you want me to wake you when they are in place and growing?” 

“Absolutely Tauriel. It’s tradition,” I smirked.

She yawned again, eyeballing me while she did, causing me to laugh at her. Then she snuggled close and for a few moments ran her nails through my chest hair that she was so fascinated with before she fell asleep.

I tried to fall asleep but the thought that Kíliel somehow knew the babies were a boy and a girl, and how her magic was growing so much had me pondering many things, so I never did fall asleep. When Tauriel moved, I looked at her and her bright smile had me hugging her so tight.

“We’re pregnant again amrâlimê! In 20 months, we will have had all the children we made on our wedding night.”

She was crying, I was crying. It was just so beautiful that our love for each other could create life and those lives were so precious to us.

I rubbed her back when she changed positions. I heard her breathing even out, so I spooned up next to her and squirmed my arm under hers to put my hand on her belly. Now I knew I couldn’t sleep, in a just a little while I would feel their minds and then hear them as they found the words in my mind for their feelings. 

~~*~~

I thought back to the first moment I saw Tauriel. I would never forget it.

I knew a guard was behind me leading me to a cell, I entered and was expecting some androgynous elf to divest me of everything. Instead, the most alluring green eyes and a face of a goddess looked at me. Her flame red hair set off her pink skin so perfectly with all those freckles.

We had stared at each other and I wasn’t sure what to do so, I quipped, “Aren’t you going to search me as well? I might have something dangerous down my trousers.”  Oh, how she tried not to smirk and oh how beautifully she failed. Then to have her say, “Or you may have nothing at all in there.” I liked her so much right then and there.

By the time she had broken us out, I was in love and had no clue why I was in love with an elf, nor did I give two hoots. This woman was going to be a part of my life in some way and I would not take no for an answer.

~~*~~

It was then I felt the feather light touch of the emotions of the new twins reach out to me. I sent them all my love and let them know how cherished they were. Oh, how curious these two were. They even somehow woke Tauriel up and she looked at her belly and started to cry as she sent her love to them. I stroked her hair and let the little ones know how much I loved their Mamma and she did the same for me.

Not that it was a big deal anymore, nudity among dwarves was simply a part of life, but I nearly jumped straight up and tried to scrambled for my sleep trousers, when Tauriel said, “Oh just go open the door Kíli, they don’t care,” when little fists started pounding on the door.

I quickly got out of bed and opened the door to four little blurs as they raced for the bed to talk to the new babies. I just shook my head, as I helped them up. Kíliel and Kílian knew as soon as we were pregnant with the littles and here we were again. With two children on either side of Tauriel’s belly, they had their ears to her and were nodding and smiling. I could feel how happy the newest set was to be chatting up their older brothers and sisters.

I got back in bed and snuggled up to Tauriel as we listened in to the ‘conversation’.  With Kíliel and Kílian, it was 4 months into the pregnancy that we felt love from all of them. With Gaelan and Gaeliel it was much sooner, and they had a larger vocabulary. Now these two, having the four older ones talking to them, and the ones in Tauriel reading our minds, they were just chatting away. It was baby talk and mostly two or three words. But here we were, our whole family. I could hardly believe the amazing luck of having Tauriel as my wife and having such amazing children.

~~*~~

  **Tea Party**

We had put Gaeliel and Gaelan down for their nap. Kíliel wanted to have a tea party with me.  It tickled me pink she wanted to do things like this with me. 

She came to me and asked, “Pappa, will you have a tea party with me?”

 “Of course, I will Kíliel!  Has Mamma made the tea already?”

 “Yes, Pappa.”

 “What flavor did she make?”

  “Blueberry!!”

  “Ooh, my favorite.”

  “Mine too!”

 “Here darling let me be polite and help you to your seat.  Yes dear, stand like that and as I push the chair in you sit down.”

 “I really have to trust you, Pappa,” she said laughing.  “Kílian would pull the chair out if I asked him to do that.”

 “Would he now?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Hmm, I think I may be giving your brother some lessons in courtly manners with maids.” 

She giggled.

“Ok, now that you are all set I shall sit.  Do you have honey in your tea?”

 “I do, Mamma gave it to me.”

  “May I have some honey in mine as well?”

 “Uh-huh.”

“Thank you, my dear maid.”

Again, with the giggles, I was nearly giggling myself she was so full of them.  I poured my tea and honey and went to take a sip.

When Kíliel blurted out, “Wait, Pappa, wait!”

 “What is the matter, darling?”

 “You have to make you baby finger stick out like this.”

  She grabbed my hand and showed me.

 “Oh, are those the rules?”

 “Yep!”

 “Ok let me try that again. How is this?”

 “Yes Pappa, just like that.”

 “This is very good tea Mamma made for us Kíliel.”

 “Yes, Pappa, it is.  Do you want a cookie too?”

  “Of course, I do my love.  Are they oatmeal raisin?”

 She made a scrunched-up face and stuck her tongue out.

 “Ewww!! Pappa, NO!”

  I laughed pretty hard at that, remembering the near riot it caused a while back when she bit into one and realized it was not her beloved chocolate chip cookies.  I think it gave her trust issues for a month.  

“Oookaayy, so no oatmeal raisin, then what kind are they?”

 “Chocolate chip!!”

 “I should have guessed that first, as I do know it is your favorite.”

 “Yep!  Dip it in your tea Pappa.”

 “Mmmm, Mamma also makes very good cookies if I do say so myself.” 

“Grandmother helped her, Pappa.”

 “All the better then I should think!!”

 “Pappa?”

 “Yes, Kíliel?”

 “I’ve loved you for so long.”

 “How long Kíliel?”

 I was thinking she was going to show me with her arms open wide.

I got the shock of a lifetime when she said, “Since me and Kílian, Gaelan and Gaeliel, and the other babies saved you from the monster.”

 I was so stunned I just stared at her unable to say anything.

 “Pappa,” she said in a small quiet voice, “are you angry at me, at us?”

 She looked a little nervous that I was so stunned.  I quickly snapped out of it and shook my head.

  “Oh, my darling,” I said. Picking her up and hugging the stuffing out of her until she squeaked. 

“Why ever would I be mad at you, your brothers, sister, and the babies?  You brought me back to life and you have made me live forever.  You rescued me, and I am ever so thankful, goodness my sweet! Grandmother and Grandfather, Uncle Thorin and Uncle Fíli. As well as your Mamma and I are all so proud of you and Kílian and the babies.” 

“You really are?”

  “Oh yes, very much so.  And do you want to know something else sweetheart?”

  “What Pappa?”

  “I have loved you from the moment Mamma told me you were inside her.  I was so happy to find out I was going to be your Pappa that I picked Mamma up and twirled her in a circle and I kissed her!!”

 She giggled, “I love when you kiss Mamma because it makes me and the babies and Kílian so happy.” 

“Is it exciting being able to tell what your brothers and sister, as well as the babies in Mamma, can feel?” 

“Yep!” 

“Are you excited to be a big sister again?”

“YEP!!!  I have waited so long for them. I wish Mamma could have had all of us at once.

The last babies really want to meet you and Mamma so much. Kílian and I tell them all about you and they are very excited to have you and Mamma be their Pappa and Mamma they just can’t wait but we tell them they have to take turns and we tell them Mamma can only have two at a time and so they have to wait a while longer but they love when you and Mamma talk to them too they love when you sing too Pappa I remember when I was in Mamma and you sang to me and Kílian it made me so happy I wanted to dance only I didn’t know what dancing was so I guess I just kind of moved a lot huh?”

 I chuckled knowing she got this fast speak from Tauriel. 

The whole conversation was rather stunning, so I asked, “May I call Mamma in, so you can tell her too?  I would not want to leave her out, would you?”

 “Oh, no!!  No, I don’t, I forgot!!”

 I kissed her into a fit of giggles and said, “Now silly maid, don’t get upset, we will just give Mamma a holler. Ok?  Ready?”

 “Yep!”

 “One-two-three MAMMA?!?!?  MAMMA?!??!” 

We heard Tauriel in the background yell, "Just a minute." 

“Should we get Kílian too do you think Pappa?”

 “Yes, that would be nice of us to do so he can say nice things to Mamma.  BUT, Kíliel, I want to tell you, Mamma may get so very, very, very, very, happy (“That many verys Pappa?” “Yep.”) that she cries, but it will be because she is so happy, NOT because she is sad, OK?” 

“OK!!”

  “Hi you two! Having fun with your tea party?”

“Hi, love.”

 “Hi, Mamma.”

“What’s up?”

 “Mamma call Kílian!”

 “Oh, are we all going to have a tea party together?”

 “Yep!”

 “OK let me find him instead of yelling for him.”

 Tauriel came back carrying Kílian and we all sat down. Poured tea and had cookies.

Then I said, “Tauriel, Kíliel, and Kílian have something special they want to tell you.  Now, I know what Kíliel is going to say because she told me, but she wanted Kílian here to be able to tell you too.” 

“Oh, what do you two want to tell me?” 

Kílian looked at Kíliel and then grinned.  “You told them, sissy?”

 “Only Pappa.”

 “Why?” 

“Because I was having tea.”

 “Can I tell Mamma then?”

 “Yep!”

 “What are you two going on about?”

 I quickly grabbed Tauriel’s hand and squeezed it. She looked at me funny.

“Oh Kílian, Pappa told me to tell you if Mamma cries it is because she is just very, very, very, very happy, not sad.”

 “She cries when she’s happy?” 

“Yep!  Pappa says so.”

 “OK.” 

“Alright, you two out with it.”

 “No Mamma I want to tell you because Kíliel told Pappa.”

 “Ok my darling, tell me what?”

 “That we love you.” 

“Well I love you too but that won’t make me cry.”

 Kíliel whispered loudly, “Kílian, you forgot to tell her how long.”

“Sorry, sissy.”

 “Oh, Mamma we have loved you since we saved Pappa from the monster.  We are so happy you are our Mamma and Gaelan and Gaeliel and the babies are so happy too.”

 “What?!?”

 I hopped in, “Kílian may I tell Mamma about the babies?”

 “Ok, Pappa.” 

“Tauriel the babies… love us very much and they love when I sing to them and when you talk to them and they love it when the other children tell them what we are doing every day because they can’t wait to meet us.” 

“Oh, Gods Kíli!”

 “And the next set of babies said we better get a move on because they want to be here now already.” 

“Pappa they did not say that!”

“Oh, sorry Kíliel. But I was just trying to get the whole story out to Mamma, so she could start crying from being so happy.  Is that OK?” 

“Yep!”

 “Good. So, my dear wife all six of our children know each other and seem to have family time without us.”

 Tauriel knelt on the floor and held her arms open and started crying making Kíliel start to giggle, “You were right Pappa!”

 Kílian seems a little less impressed and a bit more worried.

“Oh Kílian,” Kíliel said, “just feel what Mamma is feeling and you’ll know.”

 He closed his eyes for a second and then started giggling too. 

Tauriel was just babbling, “My babies, I love my babies.”

  Mother peeked in and was suddenly concerned. 

“Kíliel?”

 “It’s Ok grandmother, we just made Mamma so happy she is crying now.”

  Mother raised an eyebrow at me and I mouthed, I’ll tell you later.

Kílian said, “don’t forget anything Pappa.”

I just looked at him and said, “you could hear me, son?”

“Yep, in your head, I can hear your words.”

 “When did that start son?”

 “When Mamma got really mad at the monster for hurting you!!  We did not want her to try to kill the monster because it would kill her too!!  We wouldn’t let her move. So, we kind of saved her and saved you!!”

“Kíliel and I and the babies got mad too and we made him go away forever.  Then Mamma was so sad, it made us so sad, and she didn’t want you to be dead, so we made you alive again, and because Mamma was sad that you would be dead again even after we saved you, but not for a long time. So, we made you alive like Mamma, so you will always be alive.” 

Kílian asked, “why did the funny man tell us to not make the uncles be alive forever Pappa?”

 I was blown away and feeling a bit over my head now.

 “I’m sorry Pappa.”

 “No, son, no it’s OK. See son it is just that you and Kíliel and the babies are like no one else on middle earth.  You are the first children to be half dwarf and half-elf and because of that you have special magic.”

 “Like Mamma has magic?”

 “Yes, you got your magic from her.”

 “We got magic from you too Pappa!”

 “You did?”

 “Yep!”

 “What kind of magic do I have my loves?”

 “You love Mamma and made her magic stronger and that love made us!!”

 

**Fíli and Kíli: The Next Generation (Kíliel and Kílian- carbon copies of their Pappa)**

I wasn’t sure if anyone would be awake when I got home, so I just quietly called out, “Anybody home?”

Kíliel rushed through the family room, the living room, and the dining room at full speed to greet me.

“PAPPA!!!!!!!”

I gave her the appropriate amount of kisses and smothered her in hugs and my love till she was giggling, which wasn’t really hard with her.

“Is Mamma sleeping, and where's Kilian?”

“Mamma is moving things in the spare room for the next holiday so she can find the decorations.”

“Where’s your bother?”

“I’m teaching him to do handstands.”

“Huh?”

I heard very loud and clear, Kílian growl in my head and looked at Kíliel who was now giggling again.

“What did you do now young maid?” I signed in a kind of resigned exasperation.

 I walked into the playroom to see Kílian upside down, with his back against the wall. His face as red as a tomato. 

“Kílian! What’s wrong?”

_“Stuck, scared!”_  He mind spoke me.

 “Here son, let me help you.”

 I helped Kílian by grabbing his ankles and lowering him to the floor face first.

When Kílian rolled over Kíliel peeked really close to his face.

 “Wow, you really did turn really red Kílian! You were right, the blood was going to your head!

Kílian growled out loud, then launched himself at Kíliel, she screamed trying to get away but Kílian body slammed her, he only had a second before Kíliel had him flipped.

I just sat cross-legged, resting my elbow on my knee, my face cradled in my hand, chuckling and smiling as I watched the two of them have at it. 

“KÍLI! What on Arda?!” 

“They’re playing,” I shouted over the din.

“That does not look, nor sound like playing.”

“They're fine. This takes me back to when Fíli used to beat the snot outta me.”

“KÍLI!”

“They’ll be fine amrâlimê. Once one of them starts to bleed I’ll stop it.”

 “KÍLI!”

“You keep saying that Tauriel.” I laughed at her. “They are just having a little competition.”

“Yes, well Kíliel is getting way too hyper and I don’t think Kílian will survive much longer.”

 “Ok fine, HOI! Children! STOP NOW!” I shouted as I reached in and grabbed collars pulling them apart. “Anybody bleeding?”

They look themselves over.

“No Pappa,” Kílian said.

“Anybody hurt enough to need medicine?” I grinned.

“NO PAPPA!!” They both assured me emphatically  

“Well then, please apologize for that trick Kíliel.”

“I’m sorry Kílian. I really am. It was funny, but it hurt you, and I don’t want that.”

“Kíliel, you will help me bake cookies tonight for Kílian as your punishment.”

 Her jaw dropped.

She whispered, “Not chocolate chip Pappa?!”

“Yes, chocolate chip my dear. You do not get to taste anything. Also, you must bring them to Kílian wherever he wants to sit. Am I clear?” 

“But, but… Pappa, chocolate chip…. they’re my favorite.”

Big brown puppy dog eyes that had gotten me anything I wanted, stared right into my soul. Ugh! Thorin was going to have a field day if this got out.

“OK, you may save two, and only two, and you may have them tomorrow.”

“YAY!! Thank you, Pappa. I will help Pappa make the bestest ones ever Kílian.”

“Thank you, Sissy.”

“Alright hugs and kisses and we go find your Mamma, this was a bit too dwarfy for her.”

“Dwarfy Pappa? Is that a word?”

“It is now Sissy!” Kílian giggled as we walked into the bedroom and saw Tauriel just staring at the ceiling.

 

*****Jealousy*****

**Tauriel’s and Kíli’s POV-** Kílian was about 2 when he conversationally said to me one day, “Mamma you are so beautiful.” 

“Well thank you, sweetheart. That makes me feel quite nice.”

“I’m going to marry you someday.” 

I smiled at him and put him on my lap and said, “Kílian, but I am married to your Pappa, so I can’t marry you, but I love you very much and you are my bestest boy.”

 Kílian seemed mad when he suddenly hopped off my lap. He really didn’t talk much to anyone the rest of the day, but I didn’t think much of it until Kíli came home.

When Kíli greeted the children, Kílian wouldn’t talk to him.

“Son, what’s the matter, what’s wrong?”

“I hate you!” Shocking both of us. 

Kílian ran to his room and both of us could feel his strong emotions and confusion. 

I told Kíli, “Kílian proposed to me today Kíli and I had to tell him I was already married to you.”

 Kíli just grinned and said, “I have competition?” 

I smirked at him, but said, “I think it’s serious to him Kíli. Maybe you should explain to him he will marry a wonderful maid just like me who is perfect for him because she will not be married already.  He just has to grow up a little bit more.” 

I looked doubtfully at Tauriel and quipped, “I just hope he doesn’t blow my head off or something with his magic.”

 “Oh, Kíli he won’t do that, at least, I don’t think he even can…I hope!!”

 “Thanks for the boost in confidence my love. Well-off I go. Give me a good-bye kiss.”

 “Kíli, stop that you goof.”

 “You sound like me talking to Fíli.”

 “Maybe because you talk to him so much and I hear it all the time.  The children are going to pick that up and I am going to wash you and Fíli’s mouth’s out with soap!”

 “Boy, I am so glad I came home today.”

 “I was kidding Kíli!”

 “I know darling. So was I.”

 I let out a long sigh… “alrighty then.”

I walked to Kílian’s room and slowly opened the door to see Kílian on his bed with his favorite stuffy.  His eyes were puffy, and he had some dirt smudged on his cheek from rubbing tears with dirty hands. 

I sat on his bed and said, “I love you Kílian, even if you hate me.”

 Kílian started to cry again and said, “I don’t hate you, Pappa, I am so sorry, that was really nasty of me to say, I didn’t mean a word of it, Pappa.  I was just, I don’t know.”

 “I can feel it, son, ‘you are confused’, is what we would say.” 

Kílian was all ears for this now. 

I said, “let me help you to not be confused OK?”

 “OK, Pappa.”

 “So, my dear boy did Mamma tell you that one day you will marry a maid as wonderful and beautiful as her?” 

“No Pappa.  Is it true?”

 I said, “it is of course true.  She will love you so very much and best of all she won’t be married to anyone and she will love you and want to marry you.”

 “Will we have babies like you and Mamma are?”

 I turned beet red as I was not ready for THAT talk yet!  I cleared my throat and said, “I am sure you will.”

 “Well, then Pappa if we have a maid I am going to name her after Mamma.”

 “That is a fine idea Kílian, just make sure your wife agrees with you first.”

 “Why?”

 “It will save a lot of confusion.”

 “Like today?”

 “Yes, son.”

  “Okay.” 

“Would you like to have a snack or go play now that I am home?” 

“YES, Pappa!!”

 “Which one?”

 “Both Pappa.”

 “Ok my dear boy let’s just wash your face a little before we go have a snack, shall we?”

“Pappa,” Kílian said in a hushed voice. 

Kílian was suddenly shy when I looked at him. 

“What darling?”

 “I love you, Pappa, you are the best and I will never be confused like that again.” 

“That’s good son. I love you so very much too! You will have other things in life that confuse you and I think instead of getting angry, it would be far wiser to talk to a grown-up than yell at them.”

 “Ok, Pappa.”

 “Come on my love, let’s go.”

 

***** Where do babies come from? *****

“Pappa?” Kílian said.

 “Yes, son?”

 “Where do babies come from?”

 “From your Mamma’s belly.”

 “I know that, but how do they get there for her to have them?”

  “Where did this question come from son?”

 “Well you and Mamma have so many babies because you love each other so much, I just want to know if it is love that puts them there and how does that work?”  By now Kíliel has wandered over and so had Gaelan and Gaeliel. 

I could tell Tauriel was sitting quietly to see if she needed to rescue me. “Our love comes from our bodies and when Mamma and I make love we make babies.” 

“What is making love Pappa?”  Kíliel asked.

 “It is when I join my body with your Mamma’s and I put in her a part of me that mixes with a part of her and becomes one of you.”

 “Pappa?” 

“Yes, Kíliel?”

“I want to marry someone just like you.”

 “Oh, you do?”

“Uh-huh, because you are sooo romantic.”  She swooned into my arms making me laugh at her, she said, “You kiss Mamma all the time and it is so romantic.” 

Kílian just wrinkled his nose. I laughed saying, “Don’t worry son, one day you’ll like it.” 

Kílian looked doubtful. 

I said, “I was just like you at your age Kílian.” 

“Pappa!”

“Yes, darling?”

 She now had her little arms around my neck as she sat on my lap.

 “You hug Mamma all the time and just hold her and when I feel how much you love her when you are making a baby I just want to be loved like that too when I grow up!”

 “You- you can feel when I make love to Mamma?” 

I groaned at the thought of that.

“Yeah!”

  Tauriel said, “Oh dear!”

“I think we might need to get you two working on some mind shielding.”

 “What’s that, Pappa?”

 “So, you don’t always have to feel what everyone is feeling.”

“I don’t mind Pappa it helps me know how everyone feels so I can heal them.” 

Kílian piped up, “I would be Ok with that Pappa!” 

Tauriel said, “I will ask among the elves for you my darling, they would know how to do as it is magic based.” 

“Thank you, Mamma.”

 “Until then, when thoughts come in that you don’t want, try to think of something else.”

 “I usually think of Kíliel running around screaming and bouncing off the walls and that helps.”

 Kíliel was miffed and yelled, “Hey!”

 Kílian, said, “What?  You do bounce off the walls.”

 “Well yeah, but…”

Tauriel said, “Kíliel if it helps your brother, just think of it like you are healing him.” 

 

“I wonder though sweetheart, come here for a moment I want to show you something that might help your brother.”

 Kílian suddenly looked worried.

 She opened her mind to Kíliel and showed her what to do to help her brother.

 “Ok Kílian, I’m sure you saw that so come here.” 

He stood in front of them and Kíliel touched his face while Tauriel fed her powers into Kíliel.  A soft almost cottony shield went up in his mind and he kind of moved it around a little bit. 

Then Tauriel asked, “How’s that?”

 Kílian asked Tauriel, “Kiss Pappa, Mamma.”

So Tauriel gave me a very passionate kiss that had Kíliel sighing and Kílian as well.

 Only he said, “Much better Mamma I can see it, but I can’t feel it. It feels weird when you and Pappa are practicing making babies. I don’t really like it very much.” 

Tauriel said, “It won’t last long but you can ask your sister for help when you need to block the feelings. She can do it on her own now. I will find out today son on how to do a mind block such as you need. You are right, it is not fair that you are feeling things you are not ready yet to feel. I wish you had told me sooner so I could have helped.” 

Kílian hugged Tauriel, and then Kíliel.

Then shyly said, “Thank you, sissy.”  

Kíliel gave him a huge hug back and kissed his cheek.  He rubbed it, and her face fell. 

Kílian said, “I was just rubbing it in, not away.” 

He saw me smile and heard me say, “Excellent comeback son.” And he grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any grammatical errors I refuse to own up to. I pay a fortune to Grammarly and I feel like I am not getting my money's worth. I am doing a lot of reading (Well I was until the whole tooth thing) on how to be a better writer. Cherry picking of course. But I just have so little energy when I am in this much pain.  
> I want to be a vampire or a Chimera..............


	14. The Solarium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A happy wife is a happy life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on pin boards for this so you can visualize what i am thinking of. If you have any pics or pins of this let me know!!

**Kíli’s POV** \- Even though Tauriel never once complained about living in the mountain, I could tell that if she spent too long inside she began to get depressed and tired or was simply melancholy.  I knew as an elf of the woodland realm she was used to the wind in her hair and sun shining and being able to see the sky.  I was really in a quandary over how to help her. 

 “I’m going to bed you two, I just can’t seem to find the energy to do anything. I’m sorry to be such a party pooper.”

Fíli was really concerned when he asked me, “Kíli, is Tauriel alright?  I’ve never seen an elf look sick like that. I kind of worries me.”

 “Living in the mountain is getting to her, she is so used to being outdoors all the time that not seeing the sun and sky or be able to feel the breeze is getting her melancholy.  Mother takes the children and then I’ll take her for walks. She is always cheered up from that, but in the winter, she just wilts and is like this all the time.  I wish I could bring the outdoors in for her somehow. But I have no ideas.”

 “Well, what if we commissioned something like that glass house at Lothlórien?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Well, they have that huge solarium there. I think if we could get the dwarves and elves to build a staircase up in the mountain to one of the cliffs and then have them carve out a huge chunk. They could perhaps make a glass enclosure on the leeward side of the mountain, so it didn’t get hit by the winds or covered in snow. It just might help her a lot.”

 “I love that idea! What if we also had a pool put in that was elf size, so she could go there when she wants to just soak and float?”

 “She will want the children with her so make a deep end and a shallow wading pool for the really little ones. I think too if you had a sandbox for them and a play area with toys too.  Then when they get older we can have swings, and stuff to climb on put in.” 

I said, “We’d need plenty of seating, a place to just relax and if she wanted to take a nap.” 

“We would need elven lighting for sure and lots of it, so it would be bright even on stormy days.”

  “I really want it to be huge though, so as we have more children we can fit everyone in.”

 “I bet we could ask some elves to help with the general design, so it is a little like an elven building, so she feels more at home so to speak.” 

We were both really excited at the idea.  I wanted to surprise her but Fíli said, “I think you might want to get her input in case there is something she would like to add to it.”

 “Yeah. Yeah, that would be better, your right.” 

When Tauriel got up from her nap, looking still tired and not at all refreshed, we sat down with her and explained the plan to her.  She was so excited that we could do something like that.

 “I am so sorry that I have been causing you two so much concern! But it would help me feel so much better to have something like that, and it would be so wonderful for the children to have that kind of space to play in to burn off energy. When would the crew be able to work on it?”

  I said, “Well, we need to figure out who to commission first, then we need to find some elves willing to spend some time here helping out who have the skills to create this solarium for you.  With both races working together, it should be perfect.”

It took about a month to get plans drawn up, and everything set up.  The elves suggested greenery and plants to make it woodsier for Tauriel.

The dwarves said that they would need to geothermally heat it and have vents for handling the humidity.  The water in the pool would always be heated so it would be comfortable year-round.

 It only took two months for them to complete it and give it all the finishing touches.  It was a huge room as big as our home and the glass ceiling was at least 12 feet high.  It was almost half mountain but more glass. 

They assured me that a boulder could fall on the glass and it would not so much as scratch it. 

It had a balcony that had beautiful leaded, stained glass doors that opened up to a seating area. The walls were high enough that children could not get in trouble but low enough that you could get a beautiful view.  They had even taken the liberty of installing lighting outside so that it would be cozy out there at night. I thought how wonderful it would be to sit with Tauriel on a moonlit night.

For the big reveal, Fili and I invited a ton of folk. Not only to see Tauriel’s reaction but so we could break the place in, so to speak.

I blindfolded Tauriel when we all took her up there.  The children had not yet seen it either, but I knew it would get them excited and they would make comments that would make it more exciting to reveal it to Tauriel.  Everyone stood around her when I took the blindfold off.

 She blinked a few times because it was so sunny. Then she just burst into tears and began hugging everyone.

She was laughing, and you could see the joy shining in her face. 

“This is the most amazing gift, everyone.  You might not see me for a few weeks” she joked. 

She was just taking it all in, every detail, and commenting on everything.  She was just in awe of the balcony and so thrilled with the pool.

 I said, “There is so much room here to expand as we have more children or want to bring friends up here. We can eventually put in a grotto.

 Fíli shyly asked Tauriel, “So we did a good job?” 

She grabbed the two of us and bear hugged us then kissed us both.  Poor Fíli blushed to the roots of his hair over that. 

“I am so happy I just don’t have words, but I can say I love it and thank you so much!!” 

Fíli said, “We’d do anything for you Tauriel.”

She teared up at him, smiled and then hugged and kissed him all over again. He had the biggest, goofiest grin on his face, but the look in his eyes said something altogether different.  Almost like he was in pain and longing.  I didn’t like how he was trying to cover up his feelings like that. I hated to see my brother upset over anything. 

I would have to corner him and get him to tell me what was wrong.  Although I wasn’t sure if he would tell me.

I would get to that later when things quieted down, I mean it wasn’t like Fíli wasn’t at our home every day anyhow, so I would find a time to ask him.

I said, “Well how about we all break it in?”  Everyone wanted to get in the pool first, so we all stripped. The males took the eldest twins and started teaching them how to swim in the shallow end. 

I really wanted to test the diving board out, so I swam over and climbed up on it and bounced a few times to get the feel for it and then I did a flip in the air and splashed down.  It was great! 

The twins wanted to do that, so the males all waded in the water and just let them sit on the diving board and scoot off then jump into our arms to get the feel for it until they were good swimmers. 

I realized that we would need some toys to play with. While the children practiced swimming with us we thought of ideas for toys to make to play in the pool. 

Tauriel said, “We could use floating rings for the new babies and it would be nice to have floating chairs for the adults.” 

I said I would get right on it first thing in the morning.

We were all a little tired from swimming all afternoon, so we decided to order dinner from the palace kitchen and just eat a little later.  We dried off and got dressed again, then headed home. 

The twins fell asleep on the couch while we ate and Tauriel said she would just feed them a late supper and then put them to bed. She had already nursed Gaelan and Gaeliel, putting them down as soon as we got home.

All in all, Fíli and I agreed we had outdone ourselves on this little project.


	15. The little Warrior/ Goofoops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just two normal everyday scenarios that happen in the halls of Durin.
> 
> Edit: HOLY COW!!! I just read this while fully awake (for the first time in ages) and dear Mahal, this is so grammatically a nightmare. 
> 
> Ugh, I am so sorry everyone.
> 
> Honestly, sleep is a rare and precious commodity for me, and 99% of the time I am walking around in a brain fog from health issues. 
> 
> I promise this is going to get cleaned up (maybe not pronto, but soon!)
> 
> *so embarrassed*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to see here folks LOL Actually I wrote The Little Warrior for the Fili and Sigrid HEA but because Fili hated it so much (but still thinks Sigrid is a sweet girl) I tossed it in here because it is just too dang good to hide in my never to see the light of day unless requested or a contest folder.
> 
> The second story Goofoops started in my mind watching a GIF of the elf shaking Fili down in the cell after he had just checked him in the woods only to find more weapons on him and a look of either admiration or frustration I can't tell in the GIF. The Kiliel oopsie is something I did to my uncle when he was 16 and I was 4. My mom loved sicking us kids on her baby brother.
> 
> Also, the word "kûbotan" is an English (I think, maybe Japanese) word for an innocent looking weapon that you keep on a key chain mostly and with the correct training can disable or even kill a person by hitting pressure points on the body. I needed a weapon that Fili could hide in a sensitive spot and not damage the equipment but was still a lethal weapon. I just Khuzduled it (is that a word??) by adding the thingee (I am tired, forgive the use of thingee instead of tent shaped triangle like thingee above the u LOL) You can google it, it is pretty cool and I plan on getting one.

**Narration**

Kíliel is **2 years old** ( **5 mentally, 4 physically** ) and is watching Kíli and Fíli practice with their swords in a mock battle.  She is completely mesmerized watching her Pappa and Uncle battle it out and the more she watches the more she wants to help her Pappa and do that too. She wants a sword her size and begins looking on the ground thinking there must be one for her too.  Finding nothing suitable nearby she wanders off in search of just the right sword. 

~~*~~

Fíli and Kíli are completely caught up in their competition until Fíli says, “Hey Kee?”

“Yeah, what?” 

“So, uh, where is your daughter?”  

“That’s not going to work this time Fíli, I have you and you’re trying to get out of it.”

 Fíli just grins as he pushes his attack. 

But Kíli being the ever-vigilant father that he is, glances to where she **WAS** sitting!

Realizing she is not there, and his quick glance does not show her anywhere nearby, he shouts, “Hold on Fee!!” 

Just as Fíli takes a swing at him. 

Luckily Kíli ducks and rolls and it misses him but as he stands up he is looking frantically everywhere for Kíliel.

 “Oh Mahal, Fíli, help me find her!  If I lose her _again_ Tauriel is going to string me up for a week!” 

“She can’t have gotten far” and starts to shout his niece’s name, looking all around. 

Kíli is loping around the area yelling as well.

Just when he is verging on panic, a very muddy, very leaf covered little redhead pops out of the bushes and starts swatting him with a stick. 

Letting out a huge sigh of relief he says, “Where did you go, young maid? I told you to sit still and watch us, so you would not get hurt.”

 “I was Ok Pappa. I just wanted to find my sword, so I could help you battle uncle Fíli.”

 Fíli laughs out loud at this startling her.

“Oh, you were going to be on your Pappa’s side, not mine?  Who gives you sweets when you are not supposed to have them, hmm?”  

Kíliel’s eyes widen as she slowly turns to see if Kíli heard that. 

Yup, his arms are crossed, and he is giving her the stink eye, busted. 

Fíli can see the gears working hard in her little head.

 “Well, um Uncle Fíli, um, it’s what Grandmother does to you to get you to do things, right? So, Pappa, I can’t be in trouble can I?” 

Kíli lets her sweat it out a little when Fíli breaks in.

“Awe come on Kee, she’s just taking after me.”

  Kíli raises an eyebrow at him. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better how?” 

Both brothers laugh, making Kíliel relaxes a little. 

“Ok darling, I’m not mad, you just had me quite worried there for a bit.  You remember how Mamma felt the last time I lost you?” 

She giggles.

 “Oh, you think it is funny do you?” and he starts towards her.

 She squeals with laughter and runs to her uncle Fíli.

“Save me uncle Fíli!”

 “I’ll do you one better sweetie. I’ll show you how to protect yourself. Here Kíliel hold your sword like this.” 

He stabs his sword in the ground and helps her get a better grip on her stick and moves her legs apart with his foot.  Kíli has the biggest grin on his face that makes Kíliel know she is forgiven and now the fun can start again, only this time she is not just watching. 

With the flat of his blade, Kíli gently taps her stick to give her the idea of what to do as Fíli guides her on how to strike back and how to parry.  He explains what he is doing to help her and how she should be moving.

Suddenly Kíli is just bursting with pride watching _his_ little girl act so much like her Mamma did years ago when he first met her. 

~~*~~

As they are walking home, with Kíliel almost asleep on Kíli’s shoulder, still with her stick held close.

 “If you want, I can fashion her something a little more suitable.  I know she is only two, but she is pretty tall for her age and with Tauriel’s blood running in her, she is really actually quite good at this Kíli.  I bet Tauriel will get a kick out of it too.”

 Kíli laughs, “I have no idea Fee, with her hormones she may either kill me, burst into tears or laugh like crazy.  I have no idea.”

 “I know I should feel sorry for you Kíli but for some reason I kind of find justice in this.”

 “What?!  What are you talking about?”

 “How much you drove Mother crazy.”

  “ME?!  We both did you goof!  Poor uncle Thorin was always pulling his hair out for one reason or another over the two of us.  He gets more than his share of laughs from the antics the four kids pull and have me and Tauriel sinking into bed at night wondering how we are going to do this with all the children we want.”

“Hey, just hope Kíliel and Kílian are your toughest and by the time you have 100 of them, it will be a piece of cake,” Fíli chuckles at Kíli. 

“With so much elf in them, Gaeliel and Gaelan are already into far more at their age than we ever were at the same age.

 I think Mother is almost sick of hearing me say ‘thank you’ to her every time she seems to instinctively know when Tauriel and I are getting overwhelmed and she pops in to see what’s up. 

These dwelflings have some sensory gift I think, because as soon as their Grandmother shows up, they become little darlings for her, and she has no idea what I am carrying on about the children wearing me out.”

Fíli roared with laughter at him.

 

****************************************************************************

**Goofooops**

“Fíli, that’s it!”

Kíli from the couch in the living room, and Fíli, who just walked in the front door into one of Tauriel’s hugs, both stare at her, stunned and confused. She’s using her ‘I’ve had enough’ voice and they are trying to figure out why just hugging Fíli would cause her to do that.

 She lets out a long sigh.  “I am sooo sorry Fíli. Blame it on raging hormones and the deep need to remove the two residents currently residing in my belly. I’m a bit snarky this close to the due date.”

“It’s just every time you come over and hug me, I get poked by some (or several) knives or other assortments of weapons of which I have no name for.”

 “So, from now on before you hug me…I’m going to frisk you!  How you have managed all these years not to bleed someone out is a miracle!”

Laughing, Fíli replies, “I’m just that good Tauriel. I would never hurt you or the children.”

“Hey Fee, why is it you have no trouble leaving scars and bruises on me then?”

“Cause you’re my brother, ya goof, I'm supposed to, it’s in the contract that dwarves love so much. All older brothers must beat up, pesky little brother...regularly. Gotta keep ya humble, Kee.”

This causes both brothers to roar with laughter as Kíli gets ready to attack Fíli.

“Oh no you don’t Kíli, he’s mine first, then the children can have at him. After that do what you want.”

“I’m so glad I am loved by this family. I’d live in terror if you hated me!”

 “All right wise guy, come here.”

“You’re serious?” Both Kíli and Fíli say.

“You bet I am, I’m tired of getting poked by you…shut up both of you it was a slip of the tongue….NO! Do not comment on THAT either, you two pervs.”

“Hey, you said it, and you think we thought it, so who’s the perv darling?”

“You two, you are males, hence pervs.”

Kíli starts laughing so hard he’s bent over double.

“Hey,” he gasped, “you were the one who wanted to try….” “SHUT IT, KÍLI!”

She begins to frisk Fíli, making him laugh, and shout, ‘That tickles!!’ Kíli how can you let your wife have her hands all over me?”

“Well, it’s better than having her bleed to death.”

Once Tauriel is satisfied she has gotten everything, she gives Fíli a huge bear hug (and a good pat down…just to be sure ).

“OK kid, have at your uncle Fíli!”

They have been watching this all happen just waiting for the word to tackle their uncle Fíli.

~~*~~

This now becomes the new norm as Fíli tries to hide his knives in new places every time. Secretly enjoying Tauriel touching him all over.

Opening the front door, “Hey Fíli! Just stand in your usual spot.”

Chuckling he moves over to the island.

“Let’s see what you’ve got where today, Fíli.”

She starts the ritual frisking for the knives, but he is all grins and giggles.

“What is up with you today? I’m not even trying to tickle you on purpose.”

“Ha! So, you admit it finally?!”

“I admit nothing.” She laughed, as she is still working him over and pulling out more and more things in weirder and weirder places.

“I just…OK, I admit it.  What on Arda is this?! Oh never mind I don’t think I want to know, but it looks painful.  You do realize you have more points on you that a porcupine does?”

“Why do you think I’m still alive; and we eat porcupines.”

“Eww, I’ve never eaten a porcupine…have I Kíli?”

“I’m not touching that question with a ten-foot pole!”

“Yuck, that means I have eaten rodent, ugh. Dwarves will eat anything!”

After she pulls out two throwing stars from secret pockets in the neck of his tunic.

He smirks and says, “You’ll never find them all today and then we can talk about what I win for outsmarting you!”

“Wanna bet, Fíli?” She says as she finds something long, pointy, and painful looking.

Then she finally stops, with one eyebrow raised, her nose crinkled to the side and her lips pursed she looks at him. “Well?”

Grinning he says, “Nope.” With a loud popping of the P sound.

Before he has a chance to do anything. She has his trousers unlaced and her hand down them, wrangling out something she has no clue what it is, but it wasn’t his, uh, yeah.

With a shout of triumph, she pulls out a kûbotan from his crotch. “Got it!”

Fíli was making all kinds of squawking noises during Tauriel’s expedition into his shorts, while Kíli is dying from laughter.

“Your laughing as your wife molests my person?”

 She wasn’t molesting your person you goof, she was mining down your trousers. It’s your own fault you hid a kûbotan there, you know how smart she is.”

Before Fíli even has a chance to lace up his trousers, Tauriel shouts, “Sack him, kids! And it all goes downhill from there. 

She is laughing as Fíli is mobbed. Pulling Kíli with her and sits next to him on the couch as the melee ensues.

“So uhm, care to tell me how DID you know he had a kûbotan in his crotch?”

 “His bulge was different today.”

 “Oh… **Wait, what?!**   You look at my brother’s bulge often enough to know it’s different?” he shouted with such indignity that it has Tauriel laughing so hard.

“Well, he wears a different style tunic than you do, and it is not hard to tell, no pun intended there Fíli.” She yells over the din of children hollering and Fíli roaring as he is attacking and being attacked. 

Kíli starts wrestling with Tauriel.

“What on Arda Kíli?”

“I’ll show you a bulge woman!”

She squeals with laughter as Kíli is licking her face. 

The children find that funnier than wrestling with their uncle Fíli. They stop and laugh as they watch their Mamma and Pappa act so goofy.

 Kíliel is still on Fíli’s lap when he feels something. He looks down and she is lacing up he trousers that he never got a chance to do, as he was mobbed by dwelves, on their mother’s orders.

 “How do you know how to do that?”

 “Helping Kílian and Gaelan with theirs, I learned before them, so I helped them learn.”

 “Oh, Ok.”

 Kíliel starts to get up but instead of getting off of Fíli she suddenly sits down hard on Fíli’s crotch.

He groans out all the air in his lungs as he curls in a ball of pain, making Kíli and Tauriel jump up.

 Kíli helps Fíli while Tauriel grabs Kíliel and hauls her to the playroom.

 She asks her, “Why on Arda did you sit so hard on uncle Fíli like that, Honey?!”

 “He was all puffy and I wanted to flatten it out.”

 “Oh, gods,” Tauriel says, as she does a facepalm.

“Did I do something wrong, Mamma?” Kíliel wails, as she is in tears.

 “Dwelfling you must never ever, um, well, do anything to make a male's, uh, puffiness be smooth.”

 “Why not?”

 “Do you hear how much pain uncle Fíli is in?”

 Kíliel can hear her uncle still moaning, and cries even harder. 

“Kíliel. Calm down sweetling, you didn’t know. Now you do. So please, don’t do that again OK? Even to your brothers, who don’t get puffy yet, it will still hurt them. It is a very sensitive part of the male’s body. 

“Why was uncle Fíli puffy then?”

Tauriel groans, “Oh, uh, well, because I was being silly and touched him, and I guess it made him puffy.  Now let’s just go say sorry to uncle Fíli OK?”

“Yes, Mamma.”

Kíliel comes out with her chin down. Tears still on her cheeks, and lashes, that she is peeking through looking ashamed at her uncle Fíli.

He is in the fetal position on the couch with a cold pack on his crotch.

Kíliel feels so rotten that she did that to him. She stands there trying to look and yet not look at him. She feels so guilty for what she did.

“Um, uncle Fíli? I am so sorry I sat hard on your puffy place and hurt you so much, I didn’t know a males puffy place was sen-zen-stive. But Mamma told me it was, so I will never do it again and I will do anything to make you feel better.”

Kíli and Fíli in unison say, “Puffy place?” 

Tauriel is blushing and pointing to her crotch behind Kíliel.

“Oooooh,” both brothers say.

“Yes, Mamma told me males get puffy when females touch their penis’, and Mamma touched yours and made you all puffy like when she touches Pappa’s and make him all long and puffy.” 

All three adults shout “Oh Mahal!!” at once, as Tauriel drops to her knees dying while the two guys can’t stop laughing.

Kíliel is so confused. The other kids are just staring trying to figure the joke out. 

Once the brothers stop laughing so hard Kíliel asks, “Do you feel better now uncle Fíli?” 

Fíli grins at her and opens his arms to give her a hug. “Kíliel you just made my whole day cutie pie.  I haven’t laughed this hard in ages!” 

“Wait till I tell Mother and Thorin.” He chortles

 “Oh no, you don’t Fíli Durin! Don’t you dare! They will never let me live it down!”

 He chuckles and says, “I’ll have to think of something to blackmail you with then.”

 “Fíli, I know at least a dozen way to give you the runs for a week!” She smirks.

“I’ll chance it just to see the looks on their faces!” he laughs.

“Ok kids,” Kíli says, “Let’s have a snack and then naps, I think we all need naps.”

 Fíli gives Kíli the stink eye. “

What?!” Kíli says.

“Yeeah, naps my arse.”

 Kíli laughs, when Fíli says, “I get to go home and sleep with my hand.”

 “Tauriel squeaks out a mortified sound. Then snorts and laughs, while rushing for the bedroom, bemoaning, “I am never going to live this down and Kíli, you can just nap with your hand on the couch as well!”

 Fíli smirks and Kíli slugs him, “Thanks, brother.”

“My pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go...and guess what?!?!? I'm gonna post it next, like right after this one, today. So book 2 will be done! 
> 
> I will warn ya here and at the end of book 2. Book two is a happily ever after for Kili and Tauriel, and you can end it right there and then just stop and if you liked the whole story bookmark it, download whatever and reread it.  
> If on the other hand, you can handle polyandry that has no kink, no over-dominating romance book style alpha males and only a tiny bit of smut...then keep reading because I am going to give everyone their HEA's and add a lot more dwelves and just fluffy goodness all over.


	16. The End...or not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very short ending to a longish story. We welcome the last of the dwelves made on that fateful night so many years ago. Just tying up a few loose ends and starting a few new ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the wrap-up folks! How have I done? I need to go back and tidy things up now that I have half a clue of what I am doing. Many thanks to the gentle readers' for their comments that have shown me the way. I know I have a ways to go still.
> 
> It is also some foreshadowing if you wish to continue to book 3

**Kíli’s POV** \- As Tauriel’s belly grew so did our love for each other.  The four children were constantly chattering away to the babies. Kíliel’s mind gift suddenly went into full bloom as Tauriel got closer to her due date.  She wanted everyone happy all the time and used her magic to help everyone feel good.

Fíli was over to our hall every day. He was just as excited as we all were for the next set of babies to join us. It made it so cozy to share our love with him.  He adored the children and they loved him.  He had said, he really wanted them to get to know him as their uncle and they did. They loved to play with him as he was good at the rough and tumble.  All four children loved to dog pile him on the floor and tickle him.

Mother, Dwalin and Thorin were over all the time as Tauriel was just so tired. Walking to Mother and Dwalin’s hall wore her out, and she’d fall asleep on Mother’s couch.

Fíli decided to keep the whole “Puffy Incident” as we now called it, under wraps until after Tauriel had the next set of twins. I think he wanted to live a long life.

We were getting the hang of having the children and seeing to their needs.  Being dwelves, as Tauriel called them, they had such a combination of characteristics of both races.  Tauriel insisted on raising them as dwelves.  She called it ‘dwelven culture’. 

I laughed at her, but she really was serious that the children be raised with a little bit of both cultures and our own feelings on things mixed in.  She felt that both cultures were far too strict and repressive for her children to reach their full potential.  I was on the same page.

Growing up, yeah Fíli and I got into way too much trouble for being princes of our rank. But Mother was of the same mind as Tauriel, that children needed to learn a lot of things on their own and in their own way. Even if it was the hard way.

She had felt stifled as a young princess in Ered Luin, having to take care of 4 males. Plus, she had told me when Tauriel had brought up dwelven culture, that Thorin more than Frerin, but Frerin as well, being royal heirs, had been kept on a short chain and dwarven culture hammered into their heads to a point they stopped being fun brothers.

So, she was happy with Tauriel’s choice. If it ruffled feathers, she was there to help Tauriel and I, in any way we needed. I knew Uncle Thorin felt the same. He and Tauriel had grown much closer over the years from the tumultuous start they had. He was as protective of his family as Tauriel was, and he admired that in her.

For me, I have to be honest in saying life was good. It seemed as if we had paid our dues with all the ages of struggle. The dwarves were finally settled in their rightful home and life was moving without crisis.

~~*~~

Time seemed to go by so fast with this pregnancy. I think because we had four other children that were very active and kept us on our toes 24/7. 

We spent all day as we played, teaching them elven and dwarven customs and also royal etiquette.  They were young but Tauriel felt that starting them young would instill things in them better. So even though it was playing, it was learning time too. 

I think because of the mind-speech the children had, they were able to pick up on the languages very easily. They quickly became fluent in Khuzdul, Sindarin, and Westron from very early on.  We spoke a mixture of the languages all the time. I was so used to it that I never knew what language I was speaking in.  Sindarin was not hard to learn at all; the writing was another story, but I didn’t think I would be writing to too many elves, so I did it to keep in practice, but I was not the best at it. 

Schooling had never been my strong point.  Numbers were a nightmare for me.  But thank the Gods’ Tauriel was good at them and able to teach the children.  She made up books for them to teach them in fun ways with pictures of things they recognized, and they picked it up from her mind as well, so they were much better than I ever was even as young as they were.

Through the years the dwarves from the company as well as other family and friends came to visit. During these times the children learned a great deal from the many songs and stories that had been passed down. They loved listening to their Uncle Thorin sing the histories, even if most were a bit lugubrious.

Plenty of fun songs and dancing music was played so they learned all that as well.  We would just keep repeating things so the children would remember and the new children as they aged would learn.

~~*~~

When Tauriel began to have stronger than the usual contractions again a week before her due date we knew she would be right on time.  I was still a little nervous though, I guess the first time freaked me out so much. I just always felt like that might happen again. 

But this time with Riel and Rian, it was a breeze.  We just had Mother and two other midwives to help this time, while Fíli, Dwalin, and Thorin played with the children.  Mother didn’t even need to stay afterward but she insisted anyway.  She loved her grandbabies so much. She was thrilled to have 6 now. I teased her that she was acting like she was collecting them.

She gave Fíli a side eye when she said, “I needed a little more variety in the bloodline before I get to call it a collection.”  Poor Fíli almost died on the spot. I covered for him.

“We’ve just been hogging him all to ourselves Mother,  that’s why he doesn’t get out more.”

 The look of, ‘THANK YOU BROTHER’, was hilarious.

The children were thrilled to see their new baby brother and sister.

Kíliel said, “Now we are all together again at last.” 

I had to explain to Dwalin, Fíli, and Thorin about that. They were quite stunned. 

So, things were now settling into a routine and we were just waiting the four months to get Tauriel pregnant for the first time with babies she had not been holding onto. 

Life was good, and I felt that nothing could really change how happy we all were.

 

The End…

…or…

...To Be Continued…

...it’s your choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All for Love  
> Part of the Starlight & Firemoon Saga  
> Book Three-Fili's Story  
>  WARNING-----AUTHOR’S NOTE:  
> If you wish to continue the story, then I will tell you it is going to take a rather unusual twist in the plot. If you are opposed to plural marriage then I suggest you leave the story where it is and if you liked it, re-read it.  
> If polyandry (one wife, several husbands) is not disgusting to you then continue on.   
>  THIS IS NOT, I REPEAT, NOT, REVERSE HAREM!!   
> I promise there is only one small part that is even remotely “smutty”, and another that I am sure 99.9999% of you will not even notice the other part. (It was more for me than anything)   
>  I write lovemaking, yes, I do get graphic, and that is why my stories have an “E” rating. But it is not cheesy-porn, it most definitely has a plot and a butt load (actual measurement-google it) of feels!   
> The rest is just the love and daily life of a family that has bonded and through the prophecy are living a life they feel is filled with love and an intimacy that can only be experienced when shared.   
> All for Love is just with Fíli and Kíli. 
> 
> All for Love- Thorin (which is book four) as you might guess, is Tauriel and all three dwarves. Fíli, Kíli, and Thorin. It has romance and fluffy drama and some funny stuff too. Plus, lots and lots of awesome dwelves!  
> You decide.   
> You have been warned though.

**Author's Note:**

> Must...Have...Feedback!!!!!!!!!!!! Need...Feedback! Hey, ya'll this story is for my pleasure and happiness in giving the Hobbit a HUGE HEA for EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!! Add to it! Give me happy comments and (POLITE) things you'd think would work better.


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